Investigation of the interaction of selected value adding processes on selected cuts of varied quality

Summary

​This project has confirmed substantial commercial opportunities for the beef industry to capitalise on value adding technology to deliver consistent high quality meals and meal components from raw material that currently fails consumer expectations as defined by MSA grade results.

This project investigated 5 alternative enhancement and enhancement plus mechanical tenderisation processes across striploin, rump and oyster blade primal cuts collected from a diverse carcase quality range of grass and grain fed product, defined by MSA grading and cooked by grill, roast and re-heat after industrial cooking methods. All product was evaluated by untrained consumers in conjunction with untreated controls utilising MSA consumer testing protocols.

In all cases the treated product was rated significantly higher than the control, typically by 20 points on a 100 point eating quality scale. A critical finding however was that the cut-off scores that delineate product into quality categories are 5 to 6 MQ4 points higher than those for non-enhanced product. The MQ4 score improvement was similar for tenderness and flavour ratings, but typically slightly less for juiciness contrary to expectation. No further improvement was found with mechanical tenderising after the injection process. Variation in the percent of weight added through the injector had little if any effect on the outcome, indicating that existing injection equipment is adequate. The product was not massaged.

Results were similar for grass and grain fed product indicating that raw material of common MSA predicted quality from either can be mixed for processing. Differences in initial raw material quality, defined by MQ4 (Meat Standards Australia Australia eating quality points) remained after treatment although this difference reduced as raw material quality increased.

As a consequence, a combination of raw material selection based on MSA cut MQ4 estimates and treatment applied may be utilised to deliver high and consistent quality consumer product within desired quality and pricing bands.

There are also strong indications that improved flavour scores are the result of precursors influencing muscle biochemical reactions related to taste compounds such as sugars rather than through the expected flavour volatiles, however additional study is required to define the mechanisms involved.

Analysis of the data highlights that value added products as assessed by consumer sensory testing show different MQ4 value cut-offs and weightings to untreated fresh beef products. This is an important finding as it would appear that a separate model may be appropriate for value added products.