Solution Enhancement and Post‐enhancement Storage Effects on the Quality, Sensory, and Retail Display Characteristics of Beef Triceps Brachii Muscles

Abstract

Beef triceps brachii muscles (6 d postmortem; n= 15; muscle sections n= 45) were sectioned into 3rds and allocated to 1 of 3 treatments. The treatments were untreated (CNT), or injected at a 12% pump rate with either tap water‐only (H2O) or a solution comprising tetrasodium pyrophosphate and sodium chloride (TSPP/ NaCl) at 0.4% and 1.0% target final product weight concentrations, respectively. Each muscle (comprising all 3 treatments) was then allocated to 2, 14, or 28 d of vacuum‐packaged 1°C storage. Purge losses during storage were greatest (P < 0.05) for H2O muscles and least (P < 0.05) for TSPP/NaCl muscles. Purge losses also increased (P < 0.05) from 2 d to 14 d of storage. Steaks enhanced with TSPP/NaCl had less (P < 0.05) free water and lower (P < 0.05) cooking losses than either CNT or H2O steaks. Storage duration did not affect (P > 0.05) Warner‐Bratzler shear force (WBS) or sensory tenderness, but juiciness decreased (P < 0.05) with increased storage duration. While storage duration did not impact (P > 0.05) instrumental color characteristics, aerobic plate counts generally increased during storage. The TSPP/NaCl steaks had lower (P < 0.05) WBS values and improved (P < 0.05) sensory tenderness and juiciness characteristics compared with CNT or H2O steaks. While CNT steaks had greater (P < 0.05) L* values (lightness) than TSPP/NaCl steaks, TSPP/NaCl steaks had similar (P > 0.05) oxymyoglobin proportions (630/580 nm) and a* values (redness) as CNT steaks. These results suggest enhancement with TSPP/NaCl can improve triceps brachii yield and palatability characteristics. Increased post‐enhancement storage did not impact or worsened palatability while increasing purge losses, suggesting general deleterious effects of increased postmortem storage for this muscle.

Evaluation of 0.1% Ammonium Hydroxide to Replace Sodium Tripolyphosphate in Fresh Meat Injection Brines

“…However, the day by treatment interaction was not significant ( P = 0.62). Baublits and others (2006b) reported a purge of 10.54% in beef triceps brachii injected with tap water at 12% pump rate, thus it can be stated that both treatments decreased the percent purge from enhanced beef strip loin steaks. Our observations support the theory that purge loss is related to final meat pH.…”

“…Similar results were also reported by Robbins and others (2002) who concluded that phosphate enhancement decreased cook loss and held > 6% of the injected solution. Baublits and others (2006b) reported 38.95% cook loss in beef triceps brachii muscles injected with only tap water. Based on their results, it can be concluded that both treatments in this study were effective in reducing cook loss.…”

Enhancement of beef chuck and loin muscles with ammonium hydroxide and salt1,2

“…Any level of treatment was beneficial, with the greatest shear force benefit occurring in muscle pumped to 30%. salt/phosphate solution has shown to increase waterbinding capacity and tenderness (Vote et al, 2000;Lawrence et al, 2004;Baublits et al, 2006). The chloride ions of salt are thought to bind to the myofilaments and increase the electrostatic repulsive force between them (Offer and Trinick, 1983).…”

Quality Changes in Beef Gluteus Medius, Infraspinatus, Psoas Major, Rectus Femoris, and Teres Major Enhanced Prior to Aging

“…Enhancement (averaged over aging time) increased the tenderness of the infraspinatus (chuck; from 8.7 to 10.3) the most, and that of the gluteus medius (round), and rectus femoris (round) the least (Table 5). Baublits and others (2006) reported that enhancement increased tenderness and juiciness, and slightly decreased the beef flavor of triceps brachii. In the present study, enhancement decreased the liver off‐flavor in the gluteus medius (round), and the psoas major (loin) but not in the other muscles.…”

“…It decreased purge loss of gluteus medius (round), rectus femoris (round), and psoas major (loin) by 3.2%, 2.33%, and 3.48%, respectively (Table 5). Baublits and others (2006) reported that enhancing triceps brachii with solutions containing phosphate and salt significantly decreased purge compared to its nonenhanced counterpart. They suggest that this may have been partially a pH effect as the phosphate/salt‐containing muscle pH was 5.9 while the control was 5.7.…”