Author
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Berry, Bradford |
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BIGNER-GEORGE, MARNIE - 1265-70-00 (RESIGNED) |
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Submitted to: Journal of Muscle Foods
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2000 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The current advice from USDA to consumers regarding cooking of ground beef patties is "use a meat thermometer, because cooked color is not a reliable indicator that patties have reached a temperature high enough to destroy E. coli O157:H7." This advice was developed from studies using electric griddles for cooking beef patties. However, during warm seasons, outdoor gas grills are the primary method of cooking beef patties. With outdoor ga grilling of patties, because considerable numbers of patties may be cooked at one time, the possibility exists that visual criteria rather than a meat thermometer, may be used to assess doneness. In this study to determine the factors influencing color of outdoor gas-grilled beef patties, it was found that higher fat content (20-28 percent) could result in more brown color following cooking than low fat (6-10 percent) beef patties. Patties made from ground beef that had been frozen and thawed as bulk packaged product had much higher occurrence of brown cooked color at less than safe temperatures than patties cooked fresh or after being frozen and thawed as patties. Patties removed from the gas grill on the basis of brown color appearing in a slit made in the patty edge were observed to have internal temperatures < those recommended for food safety. Outdoor gas grilling results in "browning" of the outer edges of patties at a faster rate than cooking by electric griddle. Color evaluation following a 4 min, 30 sec period from cooking (typical time from cooking to consumption by consumers) revealed considerably more brown color in patties (especially for those removed from the grill at lower temperatures) than evaluation just after removal from the grill. This study provided further justification for using a meat thermometer and cooking patties to 160 deg F to insure safety. Technical Abstract: Visual and instrumental color properties were obtained on beef patties cooked on an outdoor gas grill. Factors evaluated as to their influence on color were fat content, (20-28 percent vs. 6-10 percent) patty state prior to cooking (fresh, thawed as patties or bulk ground beef), endpoint in cooking (57, 66, 71C, slit in outer edge of patty during cooking showing brown color), lighting conditions and evaluation time post-cooking. Factor resulting in less pink/red color and more brown color in cooked patties were (1) higher fat content, (2) cooking bulk frozen then thawed patties, (3) higher endpoint temperature and longer time post-cooking. Termination of cooking by observing brown color in slits in patties cooked by a gas grill did not correspond to a safe internal temperature. |
