Influence of meat batter addition in ground beef on structural properties and quality parameters

Abstract

The determination of the amount of non-intact cells (ANIC) in ground beef products is usually performed using a time-consuming and subjective histometric approach neglecting structural properties, which is why more objective and faster methods including evaluation of quality parameters are needed. To determine, whether the addition of meat batter increases the histologically determined ANIC ground beef samples containing increasing shares of meat batter (non-intact cells) were investigated histologically and results were compared to other methodological approaches, namely lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH), soluble protein content, metmyoglobin content, drip loss, firmness, and cooking loss. Histological measurements showed that ANIC increased linearly with the addition of meat batter to ground beef. The quality parameters drip loss (r = − 0.834, p < 0.01) and firmness (r = − 0.499, p < 0.01), and the structural parameter metmyoglobin content (r = 0.924, p < 0.01) revealed significant correlations with the amount of added meat batter, and detected differences between ground beef samples when the difference in the amount of added batter-like-substance was ≥ 25%. Therefore, those methods might be useful to estimate and extrapolate ANIC, and assess product quality of ground beef samples in a faster and simpler way. The cooking loss was not affected by meat batter addition, whereas LDH activity revealed non-repeatable results. Taken together, histometric methods are useful to measure ANIC, nevertheless, it is limited in terms of characterization of morphological and structural changes in the meat. However, other parameters were correlated and could, in addition, be used for assessing the quality of ground meat.

Effect of re‐fed meat in beef hamburger production

“…The determination of the chemical composition was performed as previously described by Berger, Gibis 16 . In short, one hamburger per batch was homogenized for 30 s in a blender (Blixer® 2, Robot‐Coupe, Montceau‐en‐Bourgogne, France) before the water, fat, and protein determination.…”

“…ANIC in the hamburgers were histochemically assessed according to the previously described method by Berger, Gibis 16 and Berger, Witte 19 following the official guidelines mentioned in § 64 LFGB (L 06.00–13) 17 . In short, thin cryo‐cut cross sections of the hamburgers were assessed for non‐intact cells by the point‐count method.…”

“…The hamburgers drip loss (DL) was determined via differential weighing before and after centrifugation of 10 g sample for 20 min at 5°C and 16,000 rpm (Centrifuge Z32HK, Hermle Labortechnik GmbH, Wehingen, Germany) as previously described by Berger, Gibis 16 …”

“…The firmness of the ground meat was determined by the forward extrusion method recently described by Berger, Gibis 16 by pressing ground meat through a cylinder ( d = 50 mm) with a 7.5 mm hole opening using a texture measurement device (Instron, Model 3365, Instron Engineering Corporation Ltd, Massachusetts, USA) thereby recording the required force.…”

“…In addition, a higher amount of non‐intact cells was assumed, due to the double‐processing of parts of the meat. Thus, the structural, functional, and quality parameters were expected to deviate accordingly, as previously described by Berger, Gibis 16 …”