scholarly journals A comparison of consumer response using paper and digital ballots for eating quality assessment of beef steaks

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle T Mahagan ◽  
Andrea J. Garmyn ◽  
Jerrad F. Legako ◽  
Mark Miller

A consumer study was conducted to determine if consumers scored beef palatability traits differently on paper vs. digital ballots. Beef subprimals were collected to represent four treatments with inherent variation in eating quality: USDA Select eye round aged 7 d postmortem, USDA Select strip loin aged 7 d postmortem, USDA Choice tenderloin aged 21 d postmortem, and USDA Prime strip loin aged 21 d postmortem. Accessory muscles, external fat, and connective tissue were removed from subprimals. Muscles were fabricated into 2.5 cm steaks and further divided into 2 equal halves for consumer testing. Consumers (n = 360) were served eight samples divided into two blocks representing the two ballot types. Select longissimus lumborum samples were always served in the first and fifth position to start each ballot block, with the remaining three treatments served in a randomized order between the latter three positions within each ballot block. Consumers rated each steak sample for tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, and overall liking on either a paper or digital ballot, and then rated the paired steak halves on the opposite ballot during the second block of sample testing. Ballot type influenced (P < 0.02) all traits, as consumers scored tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, and overall liking greater (P < 0.05) on paper ballots compared to digital ballots, regardless of treatment. The smallest margin between paper and digital ballots was observed for tenderness, where scores only differed by 1.8 units. However, juiciness, flavor liking, and overall liking all differed by 3.4 units in favor of paper ballots. Consumers scored palatability traits greater on paper ballots compared to digital ballots, and these findings were consistent across a range of eating quality outcomes. These results should be considered when comparing past consumer testing results using paper balloting systems to those where digital ballots were used.

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 491 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. Pethick ◽  
D. L. Hopkins ◽  
D. N. D'Souza ◽  
J. M. Thompson ◽  
P. J. Walker

The aim of this work was to test the effects of animal age on consumer perceptions of sheep meat quality. Experiment 1 tested eating quality scores (tenderness, liking of flavour, juiciness and overall liking) derived from untrained consumers of grilled M. longissimus lumborum (LL) or M. biceps femoris (BF) derived from Merino ewes ranging from 8.5 to 68.5 months of age. The ewes were derived from one farm and all received a pelleted diet (60% hay, 30% lupin grain and 10% barley grain) that sustained growth between 118 and 173 g/day for at least 22 days pre-slaughter. In experiment 2 consumer testing of grilled LL and roasted BF and M. semimembranosis (SM) was conducted on a commercial line of 12-month-old White Suffolk × Merino lambs (0 erupted incisor teeth) v. a line of Merino yearling sheep about 22 months old (with either 2 or 4 erupted incisor teeth). The results of experiment 1 showed a significant effect of muscle (LL>BF, P<0.001) and a cubic effect of animal age on the consumer scores for grilled steaks. The cubic relationship was due to meat from lamb (8.5 months) and hogget (20 months) having higher scores than those of older animals. There was a close relationship between the objective measures of tenderness and the consumer tenderness score (r2 = 0.53, P<0.001). Results of experiment 2 indicated no significant difference between the grilled LL for the crossbred lamb and 22-month-old (2–4 teeth) Merino yearling sheep. However, the consumer scores for the roasted BF and SM were significantly depressed in the 2–4 tooth yearling Merino categories. In conclusion, this work clearly underpins the current Australian definition of lamb, lamb having better eating-quality attributes than older animals with fully erupted permanent incisor teeth, particularly in muscles from across the carcass. However, this work also highlights the eating quality attributes of older sheep (6 or more permanent incisor teeth) particularly for the LL, and suggests that negative influences of flavour associated with older sheep meat are minimal when the product is served in the absence of subcutaneous and intermuscular fat. Finally, the results suggest the possibility of a new ‘yearling’ sheep meat category based on animals in the 2–4-tooth dentition category.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 380-380
Author(s):  
Isabella Cristina F de Faria Maciel ◽  
Jeannine P Schweihofer ◽  
Jenifer I Fenton ◽  
Jennifer Hodbod ◽  
Melissa McKendree ◽  
...  

Abstract Beef genotypes and diets can improve the eating quality and consistency of beef. A 2-yr study was conducted to evaluate the effects of beef genotypes and diet on consumer acceptability of beef. Steaks were from Red Angus (RA) and RA x Akaushi (AK) crossbreed, fed one of two finishing systems: grazing (GRASS) and feedlot (GRAIN). Consumers (n = 105 in each year) evaluated cooked steaks for flavor, tenderness, juiciness, and overall acceptability using a 9-point hedonic scale. Demographical information was collected and used as covariates in the statistical model. There was no difference in sensory attributes (P &gt; 0.05) between the genotypes, except that steaks from AK tended to be juicier than RA (P = 0.06). Sensory attributes were scored better in GRAIN than GRASS beef (P &lt; 0.01) for all variables. There was a genotype by system interaction for flavor (P = 0.02), where beef from RA had a lower flavor rating in GRASS than in GRAIN, and no difference was observed for AK. Demographic effects showed that gender and beef consumption location had significant effects on flavor. Flavor scores were higher for females than males (6.1 vs 5.7, P = 0.02), and higher from consumers who eat beef in restaurants than consumers who do not eat beef in restaurants (6.6 vs 5.3, P &lt; 0.01). Juiciness scores were impacted by the frequency of beef consumption. Panelists who eat beef once every 2–3 weeks rated the steaks juicier than those who eat beef once every 2–3 months (6.5 vs 4.3, P = 0.04), and consumers who eat grass-fed beef twice a year rated the steaks worse than those who eat it less than once a year (P = 0.02). Our results suggest that the beef finishing system had a marked impact on consumer acceptability, and AK might produce meat juicier than RA. Some demographic factors may influence consumer perceptions of beef.


1988 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.W. BERRY ◽  
J.J. SMITH ◽  
J.L. SECRIST ◽  
L.A. DOUGLASS

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. PARTANEN ◽  
H. SILJANDER-RASI ◽  
M. HONKAVAARA

The effects of the carbohydrate composition of finishing diet (fed from 80 to 107 kg of body weight) and the length of pre-slaughter fasting on pork quality were studied in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment with 80 crossbred pigs. The control finishing diet was based on barley and soybean meal, and the fibrous finishing diet was based on barley, barley fibre, faba beans, and rapeseed cake. These diets contained 465 and 362 g starch and 177 and 250 g dietary fibre per kg, respectively. The fasting times of 25 and 41 h were obtained by giving the pigs their last meal at different times. Longer fasting lowered the glycolytic potential of the longissimus lumborum muscle (P = 0.01), whereas the finishing diet had no effect. Different muscles responded differently to the treatments. Longer fasting increased the ultimate pH of the semimembranosus muscle (P = 0.02), but did not affect that of the longissimus lumborum and semispinalis capitis muscles. The finishing diets did not affect the ultimate pH of the investigated muscles. A diet × fasting time interaction was seen in the lightness of the semimembranosus muscle (P = 0.05). The fibrous diet resulted in darker meat than the control diet did in pigs that were fasted for 25 h (P < 0.05). Longer fasting darkened the meat colour in pigs fed the fibrous diet (P < 0.05) but not in those fed the control diet. The meat from the semispinalis capitis muscle was darker in pigs fed the fibrous than those fed the control diet (P = 0.04). The treatments did not affect the colour of the longissimus lumborum muscle. Longer fasting decreased drip loss from the meat of pigs fed the control diet (P < 0.05). The eating quality of the pork was not influenced by the finishing diets or the fasting time. The pigs also grew equally fast on both finishing diets. In conclusion, a moderate alteration in the carbohydrate composition of a finishing diet or longer pre-slaughter fasting can have some effects on pork quality in crossbred pigs, but these effects vary in different muscles.;


2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1158-1173
Author(s):  
E Moholisa ◽  
P.E. Strydom ◽  
I Van Heerden ◽  
A Hugo

Feeding systems and other factors associated with processing influence meat quality, and therefore sensory attributes. This study was conducted to assess the meat quality attributes of young grain-fed and older grass-fed steers that mostly affect consumer acceptability of beef. Eighty Bonsmara steers consisting of 20 each of A-age (0-tooth) grain-fed (AC) and grain-fed supplemented with zilpaterol (AZ), 20 each of grass-fed AB (1-2 teeth) and B-age (3 - 6 teeth) animals were used. This combination represented the typical feeding systems of South Africa and other countries using similar classification systems, therefore describes the typical feeding systems of the South African beef industry. The longissimus lumborum (LL), semitendinosus (ST), and biceps femoris (BF) muscles were tested for colour, moisture properties, lipid oxidation and sensory attributes. It was found that diet in combination with animal age influenced meat colour. Muscles of the older grass-fed steers were generally darker and duller (darker red) compared to muscles of young grain-fed animals. Moisture loss was consistently higher in zilpaterol supplemented meat samples compared to the feedlot controls, while muscles of the grass-fed animals had lower moisture loss. A sensory panel clearly distinguished between cuts of grain-fed (AZ and AC) and grass-fed carcasses (AB and B) on the grounds of flavour characteristic. The AB and B cuts scored higher for grassy, animal-like and rancid flavour overtones and lower for roasted flavour and sourness than AZ and AC grain-fed cuts. This indicated that typical flavours related to diet define expected eating quality. Keywords: age, grain, grass, meat quality, zilpaterol


Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1454
Author(s):  
Kaisa Vehmas ◽  
Alex Calton ◽  
Katri Grenman ◽  
Heikki Aisala ◽  
Nesli Sozer ◽  
...  

The aim of the study was to evaluate consumer perceptions toward customized snacks produced with a Healthy Snack Machine (HSM) prototype, at-site of the purchase and consumption. The present study had a multi-disciplinary approach including both snack product and HSM development (hardware and user interface). Snack development included both instrumental (viscosity, colloidal stability) and sensory characterization (by trained sensory (N = 10) and consumer (N = 55) panels) of spoonable and drinkable, oat- and dairy-based snack products, fortified with protein and/or dietary fiber. The protein and fiber addition reduced viscosity in spoonable products but did not affect the consistency of drinkable samples. Oat-based samples differed from dairy-based in multiple attributes in sensory profiling. In consumer sample testing, sample odor and taste were the most and least preferred aspects, respectively. In the snack machine testing, a qualitative consumer study (N = 33) showed that the HSM was easy to use, the user interface was clear, the ordering process was quick, and the participants were interested in using the HSM in the future. The snack choices (spoonable/drinkable and dairy/oat base) made by the consumers were distributed equally, but the berry-flavor was preferred over cocoa and vanilla. The most common HSM usage scenarios were “between work/school and hobbies” and “in transit from one place to another”.


1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. D. Sinclair ◽  
A. Cuthbertson ◽  
A. Rutter ◽  
M. F. Franklin

AbstractAn experiment was devised to examine the effect of animal age at slaughter, within genotype and finishing system, on bull beef eating quality characteristics to assess the 15 month age limit imposed for bulls at slaughter by the Meat and Livestock Commission specification for improved beef eating quality. The experiment was a factorial design using bulls of two crossbred genotypes (Aberdeen Angus × and Charolais ×), offered two diets (silage-based and barley-based) and slaughtered at two abattoirs. Bulls were slaughtered from approximately 10 months of age on seven dates (ages) at 6-week intervals. Bulls given barley were slaughtered on date numbers 1 to 5 (43 to 67 weeks of age) and bulls given silage on date numbers 2 to 7 (49 to 79 weeks of age). On each slaughter date and at each abattoir the first four commercial steers which followed the bulls on the slaughterline and met the United Kingdom (UK) modal carcass specification R 4L were selected as abattoir, slaughter date and industry representative controls. At 48 h post mortem samples of m. longissimus lumborum; m. biceps femoris; and m. semimembranosus were recovered from all bull and steer carcasses, vacuum packed and stored at 2°C for a fiirther 12 days before freezing and subsequent assessment by a 12 member taste panel and texture analysis using a Warner Bratzler shear jig.Bulls achieved high growth rates during the finishing period averaging 1·22, 1·55, 1·41 and 1·98 kg/day for silage-fed Angus × bulls; barley-fed Angus × bulls; silage-fed Charolais × bulls; and barley-fed Charolais × bulls, respectively (s.e.d. = 0·08; P < 0·05). Age at slaughter had no significant effect on beef tenderness from young bulls in this study. Similarly, no significant differences in beef tenderness either between genotypes or diets were detected. Bulls, however, produced meat which had lower mechanical shear force values (10·2 v. 11·9 kg for m. biceps femoris; P < 0·001) and was considered to be more tender (P < 0·001), less flavoursome (F < 0·001) and more acceptable (P < 0·01) than that produced by steers.It was concluded that beef aged for 14 days post mortem and recovered from young bulls which have achieved high growth rates can be at least as good as that representative of the UK standard product. The 15-month age limit for bulls ensures that commercially produced bulls achieve high lifetime growth rates and will produce beef of a quality comparable with that achieved in this study.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loni Woolley Lucherk ◽  
Travis O'Quinn ◽  
Jerrad F. Legako ◽  
Steven D Shackelford ◽  
J. C. Brooks ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to evaluate palatability of strip loin steaks from grass- and grain-fed beef across five United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) quality grades and three wet aging periods. Beef strip loins (N = 200; 20 per USDA quality grade/fed cattle type) representing five USDA quality grades [USDA Prime, Top Choice (Average and High Choice), Low Choice, Select and Standard] and two fed cattle types [New Zealand grass-finished and United States (U.S.) grain-finished] were used in the study. Each strip loin was equally portioned into thirds and randomly assigned to one of three wet aging periods (7 d, 21 d or 42 d). Consumer panelists (N = 600; 120/location: Texas, California, Florida, Kansas, and Pennsylvania) evaluated eight grilled beef steak samples for palatability traits, acceptability, and eating quality. All palatability traits were impacted by the interaction of diet × quality grade (P &lt; 0.05). Although similar (P &gt; 0.05) to grass-fed Prime steaks for juiciness, tenderness and overall liking, grain-fed Prime steaks rated greater (P &lt; 0.05) than all other grass- and grain-finished treatments for all palatability attributes. Grass-finished Top Choice, Low Choice, and Standard steaks were rated greater (P &lt; 0.05) than the respective grain-finished quality grades for juiciness and tenderness. Grain-finished Standard steaks rated lower (P &lt; 0.05) than all other grass- and grain-finished treatments for juiciness, tenderness, and overall liking; but were similar (P &gt; 0.05) to grass-finished Standard steaks for flavor liking. Our results indicate beef strip loin steaks of similar quality grades from grass-finished New Zealand cattle produce similar eating experiences when compared to those from U.S. grain-finished beef, even following extended post-mortem aging. This indicates improved palatability for consumers based on marbling without respect to grass- or grain-finishing diets.&nbsp;


2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 631-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Aalhus ◽  
L. E. Jeremiah ◽  
M. E. R. Dugan ◽  
I. L. Larsen ◽  
L. L. Gibson

Acceptability threshold values for Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) and trained sensory panel attributes were determined through regression analyses against consumer scores for overall tenderness, juiciness, flavour desirability and overall palatability for both the longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles. Although consumers were not as sensitive to changes in tenderness as trained panellists, the relationship between consumer scores and trained panellist scores was moderate (r value = 0.64; P = 0.001). Based on the 50% confidence levels for WBS (7.85 and 8.15 kg for the LL and SM, respectively), 20% of LL steaks and 28% of SM roasts collected from commercial abattoirs and aged 6 d exceeded these thresholds. When assessed on the basis of subjective sensory panel scores for overall tenderness, 25.3% of LL steaks and 39.9% of SM roasts exceeded the 50% confidence level. Clearly, without intervention strategies beyond 6 d of aging, there was a significant portion of beef steaks and roasts which did not meet consumer expectations for tenderness. The fact there was a very poor relationship between tenderness in the LL and SM muscles suggests strategies used by industry to improve tenderness may need to be muscle specific. Key words: Beef quality, consumer, threshold, tenderness, Warner-Bratzler shear


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