DETECTABLE ODOR THRESHOLDS OF SELECTED LIPID OXIDATION COMPOUNDS IN A MEAT MODEL SYSTEM

Organic compounds, pentanal, hexanal, t-2-hexenal, t-2-heptanal, t-2-octenal, and t,t-2,4-decadienal, were added individually to lean ground beef. Detectable odor threshold (DOT) was determined by a 10-member sensory panel using triangle tests. Descriptive analysis using category scales measuring intensity was used to assess odor intensities contributed by specific compounds in an effort to relate quantitative differences in qualitative characteristics to oxidized beef. DOT for pentanal was 2.67 ppm; hexanal was 5.87 ppm; heptanal was 0.23 ppm; t-2-hexenal was 7.87 ppm; t-2-octenal was 4.20 ppm; and t,t-2,4-decadienal was 0.47 ppm. Common terms used to describe odor of meat containing added compounds were rancid, painty, and herbal.