Beef and Pork Flavor: Is it Important? Rhonda Miller Professor Meat Science Section Department of Animal Science Texas A&M University College 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) Quality grade level City Low High Low Top Select 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 a-jConsumerflavor intensity rating values with different superscript letters differ significantly (P < .05). from Neely et al. (1998) Top Sirloin Steaks Least-Squares Means for cooking method by quality grade level effect on consumer beef flavor intensity ratings (23=extreme amount; 1=none at all) Quality grade level Cooking Low High Low Top method Select Select Choice Choice 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 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 0.78 Juiciness Likea 0.87 0.75 0.71 0.63 0.57 0.64 Juiciness Levela 0.70 0.71 0.54 0.52 0.58 Tenderness Likea 0.92 0.62 0.55 0.68 Tenderness Levela 0.58 0.53 0.65 Flavor Likea0.880.75 Flavor 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 Flavor Like Cooked Temperature, ºC 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 Flavor Like Loin pH Increasing pH by 0.20 units from Moeller and Miller (2010) Improved Tenderness Like 0.20 units Improved Flavor Like by 0.10 units 9 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 Chemical classes of aroma compounds reported from cooked beef (from Maarse and Visscher, 1989) Class of CompoundNumber of components reported Aliphatic Hydrocarbons 103 Alcohols 70 Aldehydes 55 Ketones 49 Carboxylic acids 24 Esters 7 Amines 20 Alicyclic Hydrocarbons 44 Alcohols 3 Ketones 18 Heterocyclic Lactones 38 Furans and derivatives 44 Thiophenes and derivatives 40 Pyrroles and derivatives 20 Pyridines and derivatives 21 Pyrazines and derivatives 54 Oxazol(in)es 13 Thiazol(in)es 29 Other suplphurheterocyclics 13 Benzenoids 80 Sulphur Compounds (not heterocyclic) 72 Miscellaneous 7 Consumers Call it Taste! Scientists call it: • Aroma Volatiles identified through smell or the olfactory bulb • Flavor Aromatics Volatiles identified while in the mouth by the olfactory bulb • Basic Tastes Bitter Receptors on the tongue for Salty sweet, salt, sour and bitter Sour Sweet Consumers Call it Taste! Scientists call it: • Mouth-feels Fat, astringent, metallic • Texture Tactile - skin has receptors for pressure, light and heavy touch, pain and temperature Kinaesthetic- deep pressure felt through the sense of tension and relaxation of muscle - gives resistance – Trigeminal nerves • Aftertastes Lexicon for Whole Muscle Beef Cuts Adhikari et al. 2012 Journal of Sensory Studies Major Notes Definition Reference Beef flavor ID Amount of beef flavor Swanson’s beef broth = 5.0 identify Beef Brisket = 12.0 Brown/Roasted A round, full aromatic Beef Suet, broiled = 8.5 generally associated with 80% Lean Ground Chuck = 10.0 beef suet that has been broiled Bloody/Serumy Aromatic associated with Select Top Loin Steak = 5.5 blood of cooked meat Beef Brisket = 6.0 products; closely related to metallic aromatic. Fat-like Aromatics associated with Broiled beef suet=12.0 cooked animal fat Hillshire Farms Lit’lSmokies=7.0 Metallic Impression of slightly 0.10% potassium chloride solution oxidized metal, such as iron, = 1.5 copper, and silver spoons. Select Top Loin steak = 4.0 Dole canned pineapple juice = 6.0 Lexicon for Whole Muscle Beef Cuts Major Notes Definition Reference Liver-like Aromatic associated with Broiled beef liver = 7.5 cooked organ meat/liver Brauschweiger liver sausage = 10 Green-haylike Brown/green dusty aromatic Dry parsley, smelled= 5.0 associated with dry grasses, Dry parsley, tasted=6.0 hay, dry parsley and tea leaves Umami Flat, salty, somewhat brothy. 0.035% Accent Flavor The taste of glutamate, salts Enhancer = 7.5 of amino acids and nucleotides Overall sweet Combination of sweet taste Post Shredded Wheat Spoon and sweet aromatics Size = 1.5 Hillshire 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 Reference Sour Aromatic Aromatics associated with Dillon’s buttermilk=5.0 smelled sour substances 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 Reference Animal hair Aromatic perceived with raw Caproic acid=12.0 smelled wool is saturated with water Barnyard Combination of pungent, White pepper in water=5.4 slightly sour, hay-like Tinture of civet=6.0 aromatic associated with farm animals and the inside of a horn Burnt Sharp/acrid flavor Alf’s Red Wheat Puffs=5.0 associated with over roasted beef muscle Rancid Aromatic associated with Wesson Vegetable Oil, 3 oxidized fat and oils (may min=7.0 include cardboard, painty, Wesson Vegetable Oil, 5 varnish and fishy) 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 Notes Chemical 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/sour Refrigerator Stale dairy Soapy Warmed-over Lexicon for Whole Muscle Pork Cuts from Miller et al. (2012) Major Notes Definition Reference Pork flavor ID Amount of pork flavor Swanson’s beef broth = 5.0 identify Beef Brisket = 12.0 Brown/Roasted A round, full aromatic Pork SQ fat, broiled = 8.5 generally associated with 80% Lean Ground Chuck = 10.0 pork fat that has been broiled Bloody/Serumy Aromatic associated with Select Top Loin Steak = 5.5 blood of cooked meat Beef Brisket = 6.0 products; closely related to metallic aromatic. Fat-like Aromatics associated with Broiled beef suet=12.0 cooked animal fat Hillshire Farms Lit’lSmokies=7.0 Metallic Impression of slightly 0.10% potassium chloride oxidized metal, such as iron, solution = 1.5 copper, and silver spoons. Select Top Loin steak = 4.0 Dole canned pineapple juice = 60 Lexicon for Whole Muscle Pork Cuts Major Notes Definition Reference Liver-like Aromatic associated with Broiled beef liver = 7.5 cooked organ meat/liver Brauschweiger liver sausage = 10 Green-haylike Brown/green dusty aromatic Dry parsley, smelled= 5.0 associated with dry grasses, Dry parsley, tasted=6.0 hay, dry parsley and tea leaves Umami Flat, salty, somewhat brothy. 0.035% Accent Flavor The taste of glutamate, salts Enhancer = 7.5 of amino acids and nucleotides Overall sweet Combination of sweet taste Post Shredded Wheat Spoon and sweet aromatics Size = 1.5 Hillshire 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 Reference Sour Aromatic Aromatics associated with Dillon’s buttermilk=5.0 smelled sour substances 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 Cuts Pork can taste like what it eats! Minor Notes Minor Notes Minor Notes Chemical 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/sour Refrigerator Stale dairy Soapy Warmed-over Beef Lexicon: Validation and Cut Effects • Trained descriptive attribute sensory panels from US Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, NE University of Arkansas Texas A&M University • Standard training and samples from Philips et al.