Beef longissimus eating quality increases up to 20 weeks of storage and is unrelated to meat colour at carcass grading

Abstract

Optimal beef meat colour is associated with increased consumer acceptance, whereas dark or pale meat has a reduced desirability. Dark beef also has a variable eating quality and reduced shelf-life. We hypothesised that a poor meat colour at carcass grading would generate an unacceptable eating quality after vacuum-packed chilled storage for up to 20 weeks, due to the unfavourable pH conditions commonly associated with light and dark muscles. At three beef processing plants, beef longissimus muscles from 81 pasture-and grain-fed cattle (mix of Bos taurus and Bos indicus × Bos taurus) were graded at ∼24 h post-slaughter for meat colour. The carcasses were allocated to light, medium and dark co..