Relationship of total iron content in beef to flavor attributes

The objective of our study was to evaluate the relationships among total iron content, myoglobin/total iron ratio, hemoglobin/total iron ratio, and flavor attributes in beef top sirloin, shoulder clod, and tenderloin muscles. Top sirloin (n=74), shoulder clod (n=68), and tenderloin (n=73) muscles from A or B maturity carcasses that were either USDA Slight or USDA Small marbling and of either normal pH (<5.7) or high pH (>6.0) were vacuum packaged, aged 35 days at 35oF, and stored at -4oF until analysis. A well trained, flavorprofile sensory panel determined flavor attributes on charbroiled steaks. Flavor attributes included beef flavor identification, bloody/serumy, brown roasted, livery, metallic, rancid, and sour. Concentrations of myoglobin and hemoglobin were determined by using high-pressure liquid chromatography. Total iron concentration was determined by using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The shoulder clod had greater total iron (P<0.05) than the top sirloin or tenderloin. Livery flavor increased (P<0.05) and beef flavor identification and brown roasted flavor decreased (P<0.05) in the top sirloin as total iron increased. Compared with the top sirloin and shoulder clod, the tenderloin had lower (P<0.05) myoglobin/total iron ratios and greater (P<0.05) hemoglobin/total iron ratios. At medium and high myoglobin/total iron ratios, samples with Slight marbling had more (P<0.05) livery flavor. At low myoglobin/total iron ratios, Amaturity samples had more (P<0.05) rancid off-flavor than B maturity samples. There were no relationships between hemoglobin/total iron ratios and flavor attributes. Total iron may contribute to livery flavor in the top sirloin, but total iron is not a reliable indicator of livery flavor.


RELATIONSHIP OF TOTAL IRON CONTENT IN BEEF
TO FLAVOR ATTRIBUTES 1 J. P. Grobbel, M. E. Dikeman, G. A. Milliken 2 , E. J. Yancey 3

Summary
The objective of our study was to evaluate the relationships among total iron content, myoglobin/total iron ratio, hemoglobin/total iron ratio, and flavor attributes in beef top sirloin, shoulder clod, and tenderloin muscles.Top sirloin (n=74), shoulder clod (n=68), and tenderloin (n=73) muscles from A or B maturity carcasses that were either USDA Slight or USDA Small marbling and of either normal pH (<5.7) or high pH (>6.0) were vacuum packaged, aged 35 days at 35ºF, and stored at -4ºF until analysis.A well trained, flavorprofile sensory panel determined flavor attributes on charbroiled steaks.Flavor attributes included beef flavor identification, bloody/serumy, brown roasted, livery, metallic, rancid, and sour.Concentrations of myoglobin and hemoglobin were determined by using high-pressure liquid chromatography.Total iron concentration was determined by using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.The shoulder clod had greater total iron (P<0.05)than the top sirloin or tenderloin.Livery flavor increased (P<0.05) and beef flavor identification and brown roasted flavor decreased (P<0.05) in the top sirloin as total iron increased.Compared with the top sirloin and shoulder clod, the tenderloin had lower (P<0.05)myoglobin/total iron ratios and greater (P<0.05)hemoglobin/total iron ratios.At medium and high myoglobin/total iron ratios, samples with Slight marbling had more (P<0.05)livery flavor.At low myoglobin/total iron ratios, A-maturity samples had more (P<0.05)rancid off-flavor than B maturity samples.There were no relationships between hemoglobin/total iron ratios and flavor attributes.Total iron may contribute to livery flavor in the top sirloin, but total iron is not a reliable indicator of livery flavor.

Introduction
Livery flavor has been cited as a problem in beef top loin and tenderloin steaks by steak purveyors.The true cause of livery flavor is not completely understood.Previous research has found positive correlations (P<0.05) between myoglobin concentrations and livery flavor within the top sirloin, shoulder clod, and tenderloin.Although statistically significant, these correlations were somewhat small, and it may be that total iron may be related to livery flavor.Iron content in beef is relatively high and is greater in muscles in which livery flavor seems to be more prevalent.The objective of our study was to evaluate the relationships among total iron content, myoglo-1 This project was funded by beef and veal producers and importers through their $1-per-head checkoff and was produced for the Cattlemen's Beef Board and state councils by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.
bin/total iron ratio, hemoglobin/total iron ratio, and flavor attributes in beef top sirloin, shoulder clod, and tenderloin muscles.

Experimental Procedures
Samples.Top sirloin (n=74), shoulder clod (n=68), and tenderloin (n=73) muscles from either A-or B-maturity carcasses that were either USDA Slight 00 to Slight 50 (Select -) or USDA Small 00 to Modest 00 (Choice -) marbling and of normal pH (<5.7) or high pH (>6.0) were collected from two different commercial abattoirs at six different times.Samples were aged for 35 days at 35ºF in a vacuum package and then stored frozen (-4ºF) until analyses were completed.
Myoglobin and Hemoglobin Concentrations.High-pressure liquid chromatography was used to determine myoglobin and hemoglobin concentrations.
Total Iron Content.Duplicate 3.0-to 3.5-g, pulverized samples were weighed into ceramic crucibles and then ashed in a muffle furnace (model 85A, Neytech, Bloomfield, CT) at 1,112ºF for 4 hours.Samples were cooled to 68ºF and digested with 2.5N HCl for 50 minutes.Digested samples were diluted to 50 ml with distilled, deionized water and mixed.An atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAnalyst 100, Perken Elmer, Norwalk, CT) was used to measure sample absorbance at 248.3 nm.Comparisons were made to a standard curve using 0, 1, 2, 5, and 10 ppm of iron to determine total iron content.
Statistical Analysis.The PROC MIXED procedure of SAS was used to analyze the data as a 3 x 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design with three muscles (top sirloin, shoulder clod, and tenderloin), two maturities (A and B), 2 pH levels (<5.7 and >6.0), and 2 marbling groups (USDA marbling scores of Slight 00 to Slight 50 (Select -) and Small 00 to Modest 00 (Choice -)).

Results and Discussion
The shoulder clod had greater total iron (P<0.05)than the top sirloin or tenderloin (Table 1).Livery flavor increased (P<0.05,Table 2) and beef flavor identification (Table 3) and brown roasted flavor (Table 4) decreased (P<0.05) in the top sirloin as total iron increased.Compared with the top sirloin and shoulder clod, the tenderloin had lower (P<0.05)myoglobin/total iron ratios (Table 5) and higher (P<0.05)hemoglobin/total iron ratios (Table 6).At medium and high myoglobin/total iron ratios, samples with Slight marbling had more (P<0.05)livery flavor than those with Small marbling (Table 7).At low myoglobin/total iron ratios, A-maturity samples had more (P<0.05)rancid off-flavor than B maturity samples (Table 8).There were no relationships between hemoglobin/total iron ratios and flavor attributes.Total iron may contribute to livery flavor in the top sirloin muscle, but total iron is not a reliable indicator of livery flavor.Means having the same value for total iron and not having the same superscript letter differ (P<0.05).b,c,d Means having the same value for total iron and not having the same superscript letter differ (P<0.05).

Table 2 . Livery Flavor for Different Levels of Total Iron
b,c

Table 3 . Beef Flavor Identification For Difference Levels of Total Iron
,c,dMeans having the same value for total iron and not having the same superscript letter differ (P<0.05).

Table 4 . Brown Roasted Flavor for Different Amounts of Total Iron
a Scale for brown roasted flavor (1=least intense, 15=most intense).