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Title: SENSORY, SHEAR FORCE AND COOKING PROPERTIES OF COMMERCIALLY PROCESSED GROUND BEEF PATTIES

Author
item Berry, Bradford
item ABRAHAM HERB C - AMS, USDA

Submitted to: Food Quality and Preference
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/16/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Ground beef is the major beef product consumed in the United States. Gristle or connective tissue is most frequently cited by consumers as the major objectionable characteristic in ground beef. However, because of low cost and abundant supply, cow beef (high in connective tissue) is most frequently used in processing ground beef. This study involved an evaluation of ground beef from major U.S. processors. Replacing 50 percen of the beef in all-cow beef products with young cattle beef made the connective tissue amount (determined by taste panel) appear similar to an all-young beef product. Use of beef trimmings known to be high in connective tissue should be avoided. Use of mechanical trimmers on bones to obtain lean for ground beef produced high tenderness and low gristle, but considerable off-flavor indicative of low microbial quality. With new meat and bone separation equipment about to receive approval by USDA, processors should ensure that bones used in these systems are fresh.

Technical Abstract: Ground beef patties (20 percent fat) were obtained from 26 processors who are major U.S. suppliers of ground beef. Sensory, instrumental tenderness and cooking data were collected. Patties processed strictly from cow meat or raw materials with greater amounts of connective tissue were less tender. Use of muscle from young cattle for patties produced higher scores sfor tenderness with less detectable connective tissue than patties made entirely from cow beef. Formulations consisting largely of trimmings obtained from bones with a mechanical trimmer received the highest tenderness scores. However, these patties received low ratings for beef flavor intensity due to the presence of a "microbial-like" flavor. Thus, processors should ensure that bones accumulated for mechanical separation of lean are subjected to strict quality control for condition.