Determination of Indicators for Dry Aged Beef Quality

Previous studies on dry aged beef, which substantially increases the value of low-grade raw beef and non-preferred cuts, are currently limited to the observation of aged beef changes in laboratory settings or under particular aging conditions, whereas the factors influencing aging have so far been underexplored. Herein, we attempt to establish a technique for distinguishing between fresh and aged beef by observing changes in quality during beef aging. Specifically, we analyzed the effect of time on the quality of aged beef sourced from three Korean manufacturers and identified quality indicators that can be used to distinguish between fresh and aged beef, regardless of supplier. Storage/trimming/aging/cooking losses, moisture/fat/protein/collagen contents, and water holding capacity were tested as potential indicators, among other parameters. As a result, the quality of dry aged beef was shown to be supplier-dependent, which made the identification of factors for the above origin-independent discrimination difficult. Nevertheless, as storage loss, water holding capacity, and cooking loss significantly changed with dry aging time in all cases, these parameters were concluded to be potentially suited for discrimination purposes. The insights gained in this work may help promoting further research in this field and contribute to the development of a standard for consistent aged beef production.