Processing characteristics of beef roasts made from high and normal pH bull inside rounds

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Science
• Muscle Biology

Background:

• Meat pH is a critical factor influencing processing and quality.
• Understanding the effects of meat pH and storage on beef roast characteristics is essential for the meat industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the processing characteristics of beef roasts made from high or normal pH bull meat.
• To evaluate the impact of chilled versus frozen storage on these characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Bull inside rounds (semimembranosus and adductor muscles) with high or normal pH were used.
• Roasts were injected with a salt/phosphate brine and cooked to 63°C in a 70°C water bath.
• Measurements included purge, brine retention, cook yield, and meat color.

Main Results:

• High-pH meat, when frozen, exhibited less purge compared to normal pH meat.
• Cook yields were significantly higher for high-pH meat roasts (103.8%) versus normal pH meat roasts (98.8%).
• Meat pH affected raw and cooked color, with high-pH roasts appearing redder, though cooking lessened this effect.

Conclusions:

• Meat pH significantly influences beef roast cook yield and color.
• Freezing high-pH meat can reduce purge, while pH does not affect brine retention.
• High-pH beef offers potential benefits for roast production, particularly concerning yield and color attributes.