Effect of marbling on volatile generation, oral breakdown and in mouth flavor release of grilled beef

• Published in: Meat science Vol. 133; pp. 61 - 68
• Main Authors: Frank, Damian, Kaczmarska, Kornelia, Paterson, Janet, Piyasiri, Udayasika, Warner, Robyn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2017
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue; Angus; Animal Feed - analysis; Animals; beef; Cattle - genetics; Consumer Behavior; Cooking; Diet - veterinary; Fats - chemistry; Female; flavor; flavor compounds; Free amino acids; grasses; grilling; Humans; hydrophilicity; In mouth flavor release; Intramuscular fat; Male; marbling; mass spectrometry; Mouth; Muscle, Skeletal; PTR-MS; Red Meat - analysis; Saliva; solubility; steaks; Taste; Volatilization; Wagyu; Free amino acids; In mouth flavor release; PTR-MS; Saliva; Intramuscular fat
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2017.06.006

While the positive effect of intramuscular fat (IMF) on beef tenderness is well-established, its role in flavor generation and flavor release is less defined. To increase understanding, real-time volatile generation was monitored during grilling of beefsteaks (grass and grain-fed Angus and grass-fed Wagyu) with different amounts of IMF by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. Volatile concentration increased significantly (p<0.001) when the IMF was >~10%, but did not differ (p>0.05) at lower IMF levels (5.2–10.2%). In vivo release of volatiles during consumption of grilled steaks was also measured using human subjects. Pre- and postswallow volatile release profiles varied according to marbling level and volatile fat solubility. In-mouth release of key hydrophilic volatiles was significantly greater (p<0.05) in high IMF grilled beef, consistent with more intense sensory flavor. Faster oral breakdown and higher peak saliva concentrations of non-volatile flavor compounds in high IMF grilled beef were consistent with higher tenderness and more intense flavor perception. •Volatiles generated during grilling of beefsteaks with different marbling levels were measured in real-time by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry•Volatile release during mastication of grilled beefsteaks was measured in human subjects•Hydrophilic volatiles (e.g. 2-methylpropanal, 2/3-methylbutanal) were released more rapidly in high fat beefsteaks and lipophilic volatiles were released less in vivo•The peak saliva concentration of non-volatile compounds (e.g. carnosine, succinic acid) was higher in highly marbled beefsteaks