Beef and Pork Flavor: Is it Important?

Rhonda MillerProfessor

Meat Science SectionDepartment of Animal Science

Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TX

Outline

• Evidence that flavor is important to consumers

• Define components of beef and pork flavor

• Using a beef or pork lexicon to define flavor

• Using AromaTrax to define flavor

Flavor Drives Consumer Acceptability!!!

• Beef Customer Satisfaction• Pork Consumer Benchmark Study

Least-Squares Means for City by Quality level effect on Consumer Flavor Intensity ratings

(1=non; 23=extremely intense)

City Low High Low TopSelect Select Choice Choice

Chicago 18.4ef 18.2fg 18.4de 18.7c

Houston 18.9b 18.9b 19.2a 19.0ab

Philadelphia 17.8ij 17.9hij 18.1gh 18.3ef

San Francisco 17.7j 17.9hij 18.0ghi 18.0ghi

Quality grade level

a-jConsumerflavor intensity rating values with different superscript letters differ significantly (P < .05).

from Neely et al. (1998)

Top Sirloin SteaksLeast-Squares Means for cooking method by quality grade level

effect on consumer beef flavor intensity ratings (23=extreme amount; 1=none at all)

Outdoor grill 18.4cde 18.1def 18.4cde 18.7bc

Broil 18.2cdef 17.7lfg 18.2cdef 18.0ef

Indoor grill 19.2ab 18.9abc 19.0abc 19.6a

Pan Fry 18.4cde 18.6bcd 18.7bcd 18.4bcde

Stir Fry 16.9g 17.5fg 18.3cdef 18.0efg

Simmer & Stew 18.0efg 18.0efg 18.3cdef 17.4fg

Other 18.8bc 19.0ab 18.6bcd 18.7bcd

Cookingmethod

Low Select

HighSelect

LowChoice

TopChoice

Quality grade level

a-g Consumer Overall Like ratings with different superscript letters differ (P < .05). fromSavell et al. (1999)

Phenotypic correlations between consumer pork loin eating quality response variablesa (n = ~13,220

responses; from Moeller and Miller, 2010)Juiciness Juiciness Tenderness Tenderness Flavor FlavorLikelihood

Like Level Like Level Like Level of Purchaseb

Overall Likea 0.75 0.65 0.73 0.68 0.79 0.71 0.78Juiciness Likea 0.87 0.75 0.71 0.63 0.57 0.64Juiciness Levela 0.70 0.71 0.54 0.52 0.58Tenderness Likea 0.92 0.62 0.55 0.68Tenderness Levela 0.58 0.53 0.65Flavor Likea0.880.75Flavor Levela0.70

a Consumer responses measured on an 8-point, end-anchored scale; 1 = Most unfavorable, 8 = Most favorable.b Consumer responses measured on a 5-point scale; 1 = Definitely Would Not Buy, 5 = Definitely Would Buy.

Effect of a Cooked Temperature ×Enhancement Interaction on Flavor

Like

Cooked Temperature, ºC

Flav

or L

ike

Enhancement improved Flavor Like score by 1.10 units across the range As cooked temperature increased, enhanced responses improved

from Moeller and Miller (2010)

Effect of pH on Tenderness and Flavor Like - Consumer Non-Enhanced

Loin pH

Flav

or L

ike

Increasing pH by 0.20 units Improved Tenderness Like 0.20 units Improved Flavor Like by 0.10 units

from Moeller and Miller (2010)

Components of Meat Flavor:• Lean component

Lean meat flavor-water-soluble reducing sugars and amino acids Myoglobin content and non-heme iron level

• Lipid component Species specific flavors - Amount and fatty acid composition Lipid oxidation - amount and stage of development Diet specific components Hormonal/sex effects on meat flavor

• Off-flavor from microbial growth• Other degradative processes - proteolytic• Cooking

Millard reaction products Denaturation due to heat and volatilization of compounds

9

Chemical classes of aroma compounds reported from cooked beef (from Maarse and Visscher, 1989)

Class of CompoundNumber of components reportedAliphatic Hydrocarbons 103

Alcohols 70Aldehydes 55Ketones 49

Carboxylic acids 24Esters 7Amines 20

Alicyclic Hydrocarbons 44Alcohols 3

Ketones 18Heterocyclic Lactones 38

Furans and derivatives 44Thiophenes and derivatives 40Pyrroles and derivatives 20

Pyridines and derivatives 21Pyrazines and derivatives 54Oxazol(in)es 13Thiazol(in)es 29

Other suplphurheterocyclics 13Benzenoids 80Sulphur Compounds (not heterocyclic) 72Miscellaneous 7

Consumers Call it Taste!Scientists call it:

• AromaVolatiles identified through

smell or the olfactory bulb• Flavor AromaticsVolatiles identified while in

the mouth by the olfactory bulb

• Basic TastesReceptors on the tongue for

sweet, salt, sour and bitter

Bitter

Salty

Sour

Sweet

Consumers Call it Taste!Scientists call it:

• Mouth-feelsFat, astringent, metallic

• TextureTactile - skin has receptors for

pressure, light and heavy touch, pain and temperatureKinaesthetic- deep pressure felt

through the sense of tension and relaxation of muscle - gives resistance – Trigeminal nerves

• Aftertastes

Lexicon for Whole Muscle Beef CutsAdhikari et al. 2012 Journal of Sensory Studies

Major Notes Definition ReferenceBeef flavor ID Amount of beef flavor

identify Swanson’s beef broth = 5.0Beef Brisket = 12.0

Brown/Roasted A round, full aromatic generally associated with beef suet that has been broiled

Beef Suet, broiled = 8.580% Lean Ground Chuck = 10.0

Bloody/Serumy Aromatic associated with blood of cooked meat products; closely related to metallic aromatic.

Select Top Loin Steak = 5.5Beef Brisket = 6.0

Fat-like Aromatics associated with cooked animal fat

Broiled beef suet=12.0Hillshire Farms Lit’lSmokies=7.0

Metallic Impression of slightly oxidized metal, such as iron, copper, and silver spoons.

0.10% potassium chloride solution = 1.5Select Top Loin steak = 4.0Dole canned pineapple juice = 6.0

Lexicon for Whole Muscle Beef Cuts

Major Notes Definition ReferenceLiver-like Aromatic associated with

cooked organ meat/liverBroiled beef liver = 7.5Brauschweiger liver sausage = 10

Green-haylike Brown/green dusty aromatic associated with dry grasses, hay, dry parsley and tea leaves

Dry parsley, smelled= 5.0Dry parsley, tasted=6.0

Umami Flat, salty, somewhat brothy. The taste of glutamate, salts of amino acids and nucleotides

0.035% Accent Flavor Enhancer = 7.5

Overall sweet Combination of sweet taste and sweet aromatics

Post Shredded Wheat Spoon Size = 1.5Hillshire Farms Lit’l Beef Smokies=3.0

Sweet Basic taste of sweet 2.0% sucrose solution=2.0

Lexicon for Whole Muscle Beef Cuts

Major Notes Definition ReferenceSour Aromatic Aromatics associated with

sour substancesDillon’s buttermilk=5.0 smelled

Sour Basic taste of sour 0.015% citric acid solution =1.5

Salty Basic taste of salty 0.25% NaCl solution=3.5

Bitter Basic taste of bitter 0.02% caffeine solution=3.5

Lexicon for Whole Muscle Beef Cuts

Minor Notes Definition ReferenceAnimal hair Aromatic perceived with raw

wool is saturated with waterCaproic acid=12.0 smelled

Barnyard Combination of pungent, slightly sour, hay-like aromatic associated with farm animals and the inside of a horn

White pepper in water=5.4Tinture of civet=6.0

Burnt Sharp/acrid flavor associated with over roasted beef muscle

Alf’s Red Wheat Puffs=5.0

Rancid Aromatic associated with oxidized fat and oils (may include cardboard, painty, varnish and fishy)

Wesson Vegetable Oil, 3 min=7.0Wesson Vegetable Oil, 5 min=9.0

Heated oil Aromatic associated with oil Lays potato chips=4.0 smelled

Lexicon for Whole Muscle Beef Cuts

Minor Notes Minor Notes Minor NotesChemical Musty-Earthy/Humus Medicinal

Leather (old) Cumin Petroleum-like

Apricot Floral Smoky charcoal

Green Beet Smoky wood

Asparagus Chocolate/Cocoa Spoiled-putrid

Dairy Buttery Cooked milk

Sour milk/sourdairy

Refrigerator Stale

Soapy Warmed-over

Lexicon for Whole Muscle Pork Cutsfrom Miller et al. (2012)

Major Notes Definition ReferencePork flavor ID Amount of pork flavor

identify Swanson’s beef broth = 5.0Beef Brisket = 12.0

Brown/Roasted A round, full aromatic generally associated with pork fat that has been broiled

Pork SQ fat, broiled = 8.580% Lean Ground Chuck = 10.0

Bloody/Serumy Aromatic associated with blood of cooked meat products; closely related to metallic aromatic.

Select Top Loin Steak = 5.5Beef Brisket = 6.0

Fat-like Aromatics associated with cooked animal fat

Broiled beef suet=12.0Hillshire Farms Lit’lSmokies=7.0

Metallic Impression of slightly oxidized metal, such as iron, copper, and silver spoons.

0.10% potassium chloride solution = 1.5Select Top Loin steak = 4.0Dole canned pineapple juice = 6 0

Lexicon for Whole Muscle Pork Cuts

Major Notes Definition ReferenceLiver-like Aromatic associated with

cooked organ meat/liverBroiled beef liver = 7.5Brauschweiger liver sausage = 10

Green-haylike Brown/green dusty aromatic associated with dry grasses, hay, dry parsley and tea leaves

Dry parsley, smelled= 5.0Dry parsley, tasted=6.0

Umami Flat, salty, somewhat brothy. The taste of glutamate, salts of amino acids and nucleotides

0.035% Accent Flavor Enhancer = 7.5

Overall sweet Combination of sweet taste and sweet aromatics

Post Shredded Wheat Spoon Size = 1.5Hillshire Farms Lit’l Beef Smokies=3.0

Sweet Basic taste of sweet 2.0% sucrose solution=2.0

Lexicon for Whole Muscle Pork Cuts

Major Notes Definition ReferenceSour Aromatic Aromatics associated with

sour substancesDillon’s buttermilk=5.0 smelled

Sour Basic taste of sour 0.015% citric acid solution =1.5

Salty Basic taste of salty 0.25% NaCl solution=3.5

Bitter Basic taste of bitter 0.02% caffeine solution=3.5

Boar odor/urine Aromatic associated with mature boars and urine

Lexicon for Whole Muscle Pork CutsPork can taste like what it eats!

Minor Notes Minor Notes Minor NotesChemical Musty-Earthy/Humus Medicinal

Leather (old) Cumin Petroleum-like

Apricot Floral Smoky charcoal

Green Beet Smoky wood

Asparagus Chocolate/Cocoa Spoiled-putrid

Dairy Buttery Cooked milk

Sour milk/sourdairy

Refrigerator Stale

Soapy Warmed-over

Beef Lexicon: Validation and Cut Effects

• Trained descriptive attribute sensory panels fromUS Meat Animal Research Center in Clay

Center, NEUniversity of ArkansasTexas A&M University

• Standard training and samples

from Philips et al. (2012)

Brown/ Bloody/ Fat- Liver- Green Effect Beefy Roasted Serumy like Metallic like hay-like Umami

Quality Grade 0.30a 0.40h 0.36h 0.0014h 0.86h 0.0019h 0.42h 0.80h

Choice 4.0 1.4 1.9 1.3ab 1.4 0.9b 0.2 1.2Select4.0 1.4 1.8 1.1a 1.4 0.7a 0.2 1.2

Cut 0.0001h 0.0001h 0.0001h 0.0001h 0.0001h 0.0001h 0.03h 0.0001h

Bottom round roast 3.8b 1.1b 2.0c 0.9bc 1.6d 1.2d 0.2abc 1.1b

Eye of round roast 3.5a 0.9a 1.5a 0.5a 1.4bc 0.7b 0.3bc 1.0a

Inside round roast 3.8b 1.1b 1.9c 0.7ab 1.7d 0.9bc 0.2bc 1.1ab

Knuckle roast 3.8b 1.1b 1.9bc 0.8b 1.4bc 0.9c 0.2bc 1.2b

Flat iron steak 4.3cd 2.0d 1.8bc 2.6e 1.2a 0.8bc 0.1a 1.4e

Top sirloin steak 4.2c 1.7c 1.9c 1.1cd 1.5cd 0.5a 0.3c 1.3cd

Top loin steak 4.4d 1.9cd 1.7ab 1.3d 1.3b 0.5a 0.3ab 1.4de

Tenderloin steak 4.4d 1.7c 2.0c 1.3d 1.4b 0.8bc 0.2ab 1.4e

•Cut impacted flavor to a greater extent than Quality grade•Beefy was the attribute with the highest intensity•Steaks were higher in beefy, brown/roasted, fat-like, umami, than roasts from Philips et al. (2012)

Overall Effect Sweet Sweet Sour Salty Bitter

Quality Grade 0.01h 0.89h 0.38h 0.99h 0.14h

Choice 0.5b 0.3 2.0 1.0 1.2Select 0.4a 0.3 2.0 1.0 1.2

Cut 0.0001h 0.006h 0.0001h 0.0001h 0.008h

Bottom round roast 0.4ab 0.3bc 2.2def 1.0bc 1.4b

Eye of round roast 0.4a 0.2a 2.0bcd 0.9a 1.2a

Inside round roast 0.4ab 0.3ab 2.3f 1.0bc 1.4b

Knuckle roast 0.4ab 0.4c 2.1cde 0.9b 1.2ab

Flat iron steak 0.6d 0.3bc 1.5a 1.1d 1.1a

Top sirloin steak 0.5bc 0.4c 2.2ef 1.0cd 1.2a

Top loin steak 0.5d 0.3bc 1.9bc 1.1cd 1.1a

Tenderloin steak 0.5cd 0.3bc 1.8b 1.1cd 1.2a

•Steaks were lower in bitter than roasts

from Philips et al. (2012)

Vacuum/Broil/145

Prime/Broil/165Prime(GF)/Broil/145

Standard/Broil/165

TopChoice/Broil/145

Bull/FSEG/145LowChoice/FSEG/145ModAtm/FSEG/145

Prime/FSEG/145WetAged(28d)/FSEG/145

Cow/Grill/165

Prime/Grill/165

Prime(GF)/Grill/165

Standard/Grill/145

TopChoice/Grill/165

Wagyu(6/7)/Grill165

Cow/Roast/145

Standard/Roast/145Veal/Roast/165

WetAged(28d)/Roast/165

Beef ID

Brown/Roasted

Bloody/Serumy

Metallic

Green Haylike

Chemical

Fat-like

Sweet

Sour

Bitter

Beef ID-F

Brown/Roasted-F

Bloody/Serumy-F

Metallic-FGreen Haylike-F

Fat-like-F

Liver-like-F

Umami-F

Overall Sweet-F

Sweet-F

Sour-F

Bitter-FSalty-F

-1.25

0.00

1.25

‐1.25 0.00 1.25

PC 2

-22

%

PC 1 - 27%

from Philips et al. (2010)

Predicteda mean trained sensory panel responses for the assessment of pork loin eating quality at six loin

intramuscular fat percentage levelsIntramuscular Fat, %

Variableb 1 2 3 4 5 6

Juiciness Level 5.45 5.56 5.67 5.78 5.88 5.99Tenderness Level 6.86 7.30 7.72 8.13 8.51 8.86Chewiness Level 3.13 3.09 3.05 3.01 2.97 2.94Fat Flavor Level 1.88 1.92 1.96 2.00 2.05 2.09Lean Flavor Level 4.46 4.59 4.71 4.82 4.94 5.06Saltiness 1.01 1.01 1.01 1.01 1.01 1.01

a Modeled effects with independent variables cooked temperature, loin pH, quadratic loin pH, Minolta L* color, and Warner-Bratzler Shear force at their respective mean values, and after adjustment for packing plant of origin and trained sensory panel effects.

b Trained sensory responses measured on a 10-point, end-anchored scalefrom Moeller and Miller (2010)

Principal component plots for consumer overall like/dislike (OLIKE) and (a) non-enhanced and (b) enhanced pork loin chop trained sensory descriptive measures (CHEW = chewiness; FFLAVOR= fat flavor; TEND = muscle fiber tenderness; JUICE = juiciness ; LFLAVOR = lean flavor) and Warner-Bratzlershear force (WBSAVG).

Identify chemical components to either positive or negative flavors:

work with Dr. Chris Kerth

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Abundance

TIC: Pork Chop 70C.D\ data.ms

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TIC: Strip 70C.D\ data.ms

Top loin steak cooked to 70°C

Pork loin chop cooked to 70°C

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TIC: Strip 65C.D\ data.msTIC: Strip 75C.D\ data.ms (*)

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TIC: Strip 70C.D\ data.ms

Beef top loin steak cooked to 75°C

Beef top loin steak cooked to 70°C

Aromagram

Conclusions

• Flavor is important to beef and pork consumers• The beef and pork lexicon can assist in identifying

flavor attributes of pork and beef, both positive and negative

• Using the AromaTrax in combination with trained or consumer sensory can provide a diagnostic tool to identify off-flavors

Thank you to all the co-authors• Kansas State UniversityKoushikAdhikariEdgar Chambers IV

• University of ArkansasJean-Francois

Muellenet• U.S. Meat Animal

Research Center in Clay CenterTommy Wheeler

Steve ShackelfordAndy King

• Texas A&M UniversityChrisly PhilipsChris Kerth

• The Ohio State UniversitySteve MoellerHenry ZerbyJ.M. Box-

Steffensmeier