Exploring the Effect of Lean Source on Color Stability and Flavor of Ground Beef Patties

To explore the effect of lean source on the color and flavor stability of ground beef patties, two separate study were conducted. The first study focused on the impact of animal diet on the lean source composition to the color and flavor of ground beef by utilizing differing percentages of grass- and grain-fed lean. Although pH was not different among batches, grain-fed batches exhibited more redness and less discoloration at the end of a retail display period. Similarly, lipid oxidation values were smaller in grain-fed patties compared to grass-fed. Furthermore, grass-fed patties contained greater oleic acid (18:1n-9) and less stearic acid (18:0) compared to grain-fed patties. While volatile compound differences were expected to be linearly affected by the percentage of grass-fed lean over the display period, the 33% and 67% grass-fed lean patties exhibited vast differences in volatile concentration over the display period. A second study was conducted focusing on the impact of lean source and fat percentage on flavor. To conduct this, lean sources were selected to vary in breed origin, quality grade, and diet to create a large variation. However, few volatile compounds were significantly impacted by lean source and even fewer were impacted by fat level. Furthermore, fatty acid composition was found to be impacted by both lean source, fat percentage, and the interaction of the two. Overall, it can be concluded that difference in both the lean source, fat level, and the interaction between these two variables can be attributed to flavor differences in ground beef patties. Additionally, it can be said that lean source has a major impact on the color stability during retail display and flavor compounds produced in ground beef patties