EFFECT OF HOT BONING AND ELEVATED BRINE TEMPERATURE ON THE PROCESSING, STORAGE AND EATING QUALITY OF CURED BEEF HINDQUARTER (M. BICEPS FEMORIS) AND FOREQUARTER (M. PECTORALIS PROFUNDUS) MUSCLES

Abstract

Eating quality, processing and storage attributes were examined in hot- and cold-boned beef (90 min and 24 h postmortem, respectively) post from two muscles (M. biceps femoris [BF] and M. pectoralis profundus [PP]) injected with curing brines at conventionally chilled (2–4C) and elevated temperature (15–17C) curing brines, stored over 21 days (4C). The pH/temperature profiles showed all hot-boned experimental treatments were outside of the reported ranges for the occurrence of cold or heat shortening. Hot-boned beef did not exhibit any significant added or reduced functionality compared to conventionally-boned beef i.e., cook loss and final yield unaffected in BF and PP muscles. Cold-boned BF products were harder (P < 0.05) than hot-boned; however, this was not supported by sensory analysis. Samples prepared with elevated brine temperatures had a detrimental effect on the sensory characteristics of PP hams. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses (PCA and HCA, respectively) were used to better visualize the underlying structure between the quality measurements and samples, showing gradual product deterioration over storage. Although the combination of hot boning and higher brine temperature led to expected higher bacterial numbers, microbial stability of the product was maintained after 21 days.