Abstract
To determine the effect of aging time after thawing on the palatability of frozen beef, several objective measurements and sensory evaluations were made on beef sirloin samples (the Longissimus thoracis muscle). The samples were aged at 0 °C for 0, 2, 5 or 10 days after thawing. The following results were obtained :
1) Aging after thawing improved the water-holding capacity, decreased the cooking loss and increased juiciness.
2) The levels of free amino acids increased with aging.
3) The shear force and compression values decreased markedly with aging. In addition, there was a tendency for the structure of the muscle fibers to become fragile.
4) Sensory tests showed that the texture and overall palatability were improved by additional aging after thawing. However, no significant differences were found between thawed beef aged for 5 days and for 10 days.
The results suggest that before cooking, additional aging after thawing would improve beef palatability, with a minimum aging time of 5 days.
The rate of aging in the experimental samples (aged after thawing) was faster than that in the standard samples (aged at 0°C without freezing) as evaluated by the level of free amino acids, and the shear force and compression values.
