Solution enhancement and post-enhancement storage effects on the quality, sensory, and retail display characteristics of beef Triceps brachii muscles

Beef triceps brachii muscles (6 d postmortem; n = 15; muscle sections, n = 45) were sectioned into 3rds and allocated to 1 of 3 treatments. The treatments were untreated (CNT), or injected at a 12% pump rate with either tap water-only (H 20) or a solution comprising tetrasodium pyrophosphate and sodium chloride (TSPP/ NaCl) at 0.4% and 1.0% target final product weight concentrations, respectively. Each muscle (comprising all 3 treatments) was then allocated to 2, 14, or 28 d of vacuum-packaged 1 degrees C storage. Purge losses during storage were greatest (P < 0.05) for H 20 muscles and least (P < 0.05) for TSPP/NaCl muscles. Purge losses also increased (P < 0.05) from 2 d to 14 d of storage. Steaks enhanced with TSPP/NaCl had less (P < 0.05) free water and lower (P < 0.05) cooking losses than either CNT or H 20 Steaks. Storage duration did not affect (P > 0.05) WarnerBratzler shear force (WBS) or sensory tenderness, but juiciness decreased [P < 0.05) with increased storage duration. While storage duration did not impact (P > 0.05) instrumental color characteristics, aerobic plate counts generally increased during storage. The TSPP/NaCl steaks had lower (P < 0.05) WBS values and improved (P < 0.05) sensory tenderness and juiciness characteristics compared with CNT or H 20 steaks. While CNT steaks had greater (P < 0.05) L* values (lightness) than TSPP/NaCl steaks, TSPP/NaCl steaks had similar (P > 0.05) oxymyoglobin proportions (630/580 nm) and a* values (redness) as CNT steaks. These results suggest enhancement with TSPP/NaCl can improve triceps brachii yield and palatability characteristics. Increased postenhancement storage did not impact or worsened palatability while increasing purge losses, suggesting general deleterious effects of increased postmortem storage for this muscle.