Physicochemical and sensory characteristics of commercial, frozen, dry, and wet-aged Hanwoo sirloins.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical, sensory and taste characteristics of commercial, frozen, dry, and wet aged Hanwoo sirloin.

METHODS

Grade 2 sirloin from 6 Hanwoo steers (about 30 months old) were obtained after 5 days postmortem. Samples assigned into the following four groups commercial beef (CON), frozen beef (HF/40 days in -18°C freezer), wet-aged beef (HW/21 days), and dry-aged beef (HD/40 days) were stored in a 80±5% relative humidity cooler at 1 °C.

RESULTS

The HF group showed a significantly higher cooking loss and expressible drip with significantly higher pH compared to other groups. In addition, protein and fat contents in the HD group were higher than those in other groups (p < 0.05). The shear forces in the HW and HD groups were significantly lower than those in the CON group. The HD group had significantly higher omega-3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids compared with other groups. Glutamic acid levels in the HD group were significantly higher compared with those in other groups. Electronic tongue analysis revealed that sourness of the HD group was lower than that of other groups, whereas the HD group showed significantly higher umami, richness, and saltiness compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Sensory test results revealed that the HW group had significantly higher tenderness, while the HD group had significantly higher chewiness, juiciness, and overall acceptability scores.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that both wet- and dry-aging treatments can effectively improve sensory characteristics, and dry-aging was much more useful to enhance umami tastes and meat quality of 2 grade Hanwoo sirloins.