Improving beef meat colour scores at carcass grading
J. M. Hughes A D , G. Kearney B and R. D. Warner C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A CSIRO Animal, Food and Health Sciences, Level 1, Block 10, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Qld 4108, Australia.
B 36 Paynes Road, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.
C CSIRO Animal, Food and Health Sciences, 671 Sneydes Road, Werribee, Vic. 3030, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: joanne.hughes@csiro.au
Animal Production Science 54(4) 422-429 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN13454
Submitted: 31 October 2013 Accepted: 10 January 2014 Published: 21 February 2014
Journal Compilation © CSIRO Publishing 2014 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Unacceptable meat colour scores at the time of carcass grading are associated with reduced meat quality and consumer rejection. We hypothesised that the meat colour at carcass grading would be influenced by the pH and temperature decline post slaughter, as these would be determined by animal and processing factors. Beef carcasses (n = 1512) at seven Australian processing plants were assessed, at grading, for the meat colour of the M. longissimus thoracis. Statistical modelling determined the animal, carcass and processing factors contributing to the meat colour score at carcass grading. The occurrence of unacceptably dark meat dropped from 8 to 3% when the time of grading was increased from 14 to 31 h post slaughter (P < 0.01). A high temperature at pH 6 (rigor temperature), high final pH (pHF), pasture feeding and older animals were associated with dark M. longissimus thoracis at carcass grading (P < 0.05 for all). Less than 30% of carcasses with non-compliant pHF displayed a dark non-compliant meat colour >3, indicative of an opportunity to determine the mechanism behind this pH-induced colour development and thus reduce the incidence of non-compliance. It is recommended that when there is a high occurrence of carcasses with a dark meat colour >3 that the time from slaughter to grading is checked to ensure carcasses are in full rigor at the grading point. This will assist in minimising economic penalties due to dark-coloured carcasses. Finally, animal factors, such as maturity and feeding regime also had a considerable impact on the meat colour at carcass grading.
Additional keywords: dark cutting, feeding regime, maturity, myoglobin.
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