Accelerating the dry aging of bone-in beef from Nellore cattle by the freeze/thaw process

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of the freezing and thawing process on the quality characteristics and volatile organic compounds (VOC) of bone-in ribeye roll from Nellore cattle during dry aging (up to 42 days at 4°C). Freezing increased evaporation (~3.2%) and boning (~2.5%) losses, which resulted in a 6.05% lower final average performance. Freezing also increased the psychrotrophic, and lactic acid bacteria count, without compromising the microbiological quality. On day 14, frozen samples had lower water activity, myofibrillar fragmentation index, and shear force values, and higher tenderness scores than the non-frozen ones at 28 days of aging. VOC associated with the characteristic flavors of dry-aged meat were more related to the frozen/thawed beef with higher aging time. It is concluded that freezing before dry aging could be advantageous, as it reduces the required tendering time without increasing costs due to weight loss or sacrificing microbiological or quality traits. Novelty impact statement: Data from the present work show that the aging of frozen/thawed meat can reduce the time of the dry-aged beef process. Frozen/thawed meats tenderized and developed a characteristic volatile profile of dry-aged meat at an earlier time and with water losses like non-frozen meats aged for a longer period. Thus, the industry will be able to obtain dry-aged meats in a lower time and with a lower maintenance cost in the aging chamber, without sacrificing its microbiological or quality traits.