Comparison of marbling fleck characteristics between beef marbling grades and its effect on sensory quality characteristics in high-marbled Hanwoo steer

Comparison of Beef Palatability Characteristics between Longissimus Thoracis and Vastus Lateralis Muscles from Different Grades during Postmortem Aging

“…The LT muscle showed a lower muscle pH compared with the VL muscle (p<0.05), although no significant difference was observed between the LT muscle from 1 + grade (LT-1 + ) carcass and the VL muscle from 1 + grade (VL-1 + ) carcass (5.36 vs. 5.47, respectively). Lightness value was higher in the LT-1 + compared to the other groups (p<0.05) possibly due to a higher number of smaller marbling fleck in the LT-1 + (Lee et al, 2019), whereas there were no differences in redness and yellowness among the groups (p>0.05). As expected, the LT-1 + grade group showed the highest IMF content compared to the other groups (p<0.05) and no difference was detected between the two grades within the VL muscle (10.8% vs. 11.1%, p>0.05).…”

“…The extent of marbling or intramuscular fat (IMF) content is one of the pivotal factors that influence tenderness variation (Lee et al, 2019;Smith et al, 1988). Lee et al (2018) reported the Korean beef quality grades mainly assessed by the extent of marbling was positively correlated with sensory tenderness, and the 1 ++ grade (marbling scores 8 and 9) loin was tenderer than the 1 + (marbling scores 6 and 7) and 1 grade (marbling scores 4 and 5) loins.…”

Associations of Heat-Shock Protein Expression with Meat Quality and Sensory Quality Characteristics in Highly Marbled Longissimus Thoracis Muscle from Hanwoo Steers Categorized by Warner–Bratzler Shear Force Value

“…Such intermediate pH u beef was frequently observed in bulls due to low-calorie diets and stress before slaughter [9]. However, highly marbled cattle can be obtained through a longer fattening period with a high-protein diet; therefore, the muscle pH u of Hanwoo steers was generally lower compared with muscle from cattle that were raised in a pasture-fed production system [14]. In the present study, no muscle samples had intermediate pH 24 h values; all samples at 24 h postmortem had low pH 24 h values (pH < 5.8) (data not shown).…”

“…Generally, the IMF content or marbling degree is closely associated with the sensory quality characteristics of cooked beef; thus, these characteristics are integral to the beef quality grading systems in the United States, Japan, and Korea [26]. Hanwoo cattle with a higher BMS exhibited more tender, juicy, and flavorful beef compared with cattle with a lower BMS [14,27], and marked differences were also observed in sensory tenderness and WBSF value among the beef quality grades that are primarily based on the BMS [14]. In the current study, BMS and IMF content were similar between the groups categorized by WBSF value, as highly marbled beef loins (BMS 6-8; beef quality grade 1 + to 1 ++ ) were selected.…”

“…Hanwoo steers are known to have a higher intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and the beef tends to exhibit higher sensory quality characteristics, especially tenderness, compared with other breeds such as Holstein steers [12][13][14][15]. Inconsistent sensory tenderness is occasionally observed in highly marbled beef, although consumers have high expectations for organoleptic characteristics [14]. The biochemical mechanisms, especially the functions of HSPs during apoptosis, that cause tenderness variation in highly marbled beef are largely unknown.…”