BACKGROUND
Beef purchasing decisions are influenced by color over any other quality factor. Consumers use discoloration as an indicator of freshness and wholesomeness, associating bright red color with these qualities; any deviation from this color leads to a discounted price on beef. Nearly 15% of all retail beef ends up being sold for a discounted price due to discoloration, creating a massive economic loss. Meat color is primarily determined by myoglobin, a sarcoplasmic protein present in muscle tissue, existing in 3 redox states. The desired state, oxymyoglobin, is not as prevalent in dark-cutting beef, due to its high postmortem pH. This is caused by pre-harvest stress, feed type, seasonality, housing, and physical activity, depleting glycogen stores in muscle preventing lactic acid formation. This pH imbalance, keeps the beef from blooming properly when exposed to oxygen, leading to discounted price. In 2000, it was estimated that the US beef industry lost ~$165 -170 million nominal dollars (~$269-277 million in 2022 dollars) due to dark cutting carcasses; specifically this loss is resultant of discounted prices of these carcasses. There is a clear need for the improvement of dark-cutting beef color to prevent price discounting.
SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY
Researchers at OSU have developed a post-harvest processing technology that converts dark cutting beef to normal appearance. This is accomplished by packing beef in a nitrite-embedded packaging film after dipping it in a rosemary treatment.
Dark-cutting steaks in (A) traditional PVC packaging, (C) nitrite embedded packaging, (R) dipped in 0.2% rosemary solution, packaged in nitrite embedded film, and (W) dipped in distilled water packaged innitrite embedded film.
The rosemary solution produces an antioxidant effect, limiting myoglobin oxidation, and the nitrite-embedded film converts myoglobin to its nitric oxide form. Preventing this oxidation, the rosemary solution allows for an increased conversion to the nitric oxide form by the nitrite film, enabling a stable bright-red dark-cutting steak. Initial test data show the nitrite film and rosemary solution provide more intense color correction than the packaging alone, and it retains the increased color intensity over a longer period, increasing shelf life.
POTENTIAL AREAS OF APPLICATION
MAIN ADVANTAGES
- Dramatically improves color of dark-cutting beef
- Increases shelf life of beef
- Able to be applied across various breeds and cuts of beef
- Minimizes revenue losses due to discounting price on dark cutter beef carcasses
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT