Vascular rinsing and chilling effects on meat quality attributes from cull dairy cows associated with the two lowest-valued marketing classes

Meat Sci. 2022 Feb:184:108660. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108660. Epub 2021 Aug 28.

Abstract

Commercially harvested cull dairy cow carcasses (n = 64) from the two lowest-valued marketing classes (MC: Lean, LE; Light, LI) were conventionally chilled (CN) or vascularly rinsed with a chilled isotonic substrate solution (Rinse & Chill®; RC). Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Triceps brachii (TB) muscles were processed (steaks, ground). Early postmortem (first 24 h), RC resulted in a lower pH at each time measured. RC steaks had longer sarcomeres and lower shear force than CN. RC produced greater redness associated with blooming and display times. RC LE beef resulted in greater oxymyoglobin during display times. RC ground TB had greater moisture fat-free than CN. RC Lean LL had less purge loss compared to CN LE. RC had greater total pigments than CN. RC ground TB had greater oxygen consumption and lower thiobarbituric acid reactive substances compared to CN. RC has the potential to improve tenderness and color as well as limit lipid oxidation with similar benefits across the two marketing classes.

Keywords: Carcass chilling; Cull dairy cows; Marketing class; Meat biochemistry; Meat quality; Vascular rinsing.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Female
  • Food Handling / methods*
  • Food Quality*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
  • Myoglobin / analysis
  • Red Meat / analysis*
  • Red Meat / classification
  • Refrigeration / methods
  • Shear Strength
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances

Substances

  • Myoglobin
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
  • oxymyoglobin