Effect of ageing time on the volatile compounds from cooked horse meat.

Volatile compounds from cooked and aged (0, 7, 14, 21 days) Hispano-Bretón horse meat (loin) were analyzed by solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total of 77 volatile compounds were found, from which aldehydes were the predominant family. Most of the identified compounds had their origin in the degradation of lipids, with a negligible contribution of Maillard derived products. Odour impact ratios were calculated and used as indicators of the contribution of each compound to the total aroma and aldehydes were, in general, the major contributors to cooked horse meat aroma. Results revealed that ageing affected 15 of the volatile compounds detected. From them, hexadecanal and 2- and 3-methylbutanal significantly increased during ageing, presumably affecting the cooked meat odour as these have considerable odorant impact. Under the present study conditions, periods longer than 14 days would be necessary for significant changes in the volatile profile of cooked horse meat.

Influence of vacuum-ageing duration of whole beef on retail shelf life of steaks packaged with oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) active film under high O2.

Beef Longissimus lumborum (LL) was no aged (LL0), aged for 7 days (LL7) and 14 days (LL14) under vacuum at 1 ± 1 °C. The obtained beefsteaks were packaged in high oxygen (Hi-O2) with active packaging (AP) during 13-21 days at 1 ± 1 °C. Redness (CIE a* values), metmyoglobin percentage (MetMb%), total flora (PCA), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBA-RS), instrumental tenderness (Warner-Bratzler shear force: WBSF), and sensory analyses were performed. The various variables differed amongst the ageing times and packaging systems (AP vs. control). Three and ten additional days of retail shelf life were observed for steaks from LL7 and LL14, respectively. AP increased efficiently the retail shelf life of beefsteaks, but did not affect meat tenderness. The extended ageing from 7 to 14 days also induced higher tenderness in beefsteaks and did not show any affect negative effect on other quality parameters. Innovative technology referring to ageing under vacuum combined with Hi-O2 MA/AP would be desirable for beefsteaks during display and constituted a good alternative for meat supermarkets.

Consumer preference and effect of correct or misleading information after ageing beef longissimus muscle using vacuum, dry ageing, or a dry ageing bag.

The objective of this study was to determine which ageing treatment of beef was sensorially preferred by consumers and how their preference changed when given information about the ageing treatment used. Longissimus thoracis et lumborum from four young bulls were randomly assigned three ageing treatments: dry ageing, vacuum ageing and ageing in a highly moisture permeable bag (bag dry-ageing); each was aged at 1.6 °C for another 13 days. A preference test (171 consumers) with questions about overall liking, tenderness, and juiciness was performed. Thereafter, a deceptive test (61 consumers) was performed with two taste samples, the first taste sample with correct information about ageing treatment and the second with false information. In the preference test, consumers preferred dry ageing and bag dry-ageing to vacuum ageing. In the deceptive test, dry ageing was preferred, but the information given influenced preference.