H.W. Ockerman1 and J.H. Cheng
The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences
Off-flavors encountered are the major meat industry problems plaguing the acceptance of cooked roast beef. This experiment was to evaluate an optimum raw material to be used for roast beef and to evaluate whether or not low-voltage electrical stimulation of precooked roast beef would be desirable from a quality acceptance standpoint during refrigerated storage. There was no significant difference between chemical compositions and cooking yields between the control (NonES) and the electrically stimulated (ES) roast beef. Lipid oxidation, measured by TBARS, indicated no significant difference between both treatments. The oxidative stability of electrically stimulated precooked roast beef was the same as nonES sample up to 4-days of refrigerated storage. By sensory evaluation, stimulation did not cause any difference in precooked roast beef, except that ES had significantly lower roast beef flavor score at day 4 as compared to NonES. No significant change in warmed-over aroma and flavor was found between NonES and ES roast beef. However, electrically stimulated precooked roast beef was significantly more tender as measured by the Warner-Bratzler shear values. Also, ES did not significantly reduce bacterial counts of precooked roast beef.
1For more information, contact at: 015 Animal Science Building, 2029 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43210; 614-292-4317; Fax: 614-292-2929, Email: ockerman.2@osu.edu