BEEF AGING PROCESSES: TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES TO IMPLEMENT SYSTEMS AND EVALUATE MEAT QUALITY

Abstract

Even been one of the biggest world beef producer, mostly due to sanitary standards of industries, Brazil still produce beef with poor sensory quality, ie, flavor, tenderness and juiciness, as the production system (breeds and feed management) and national industry (fast carcass cooling and lack of aging) do not take care of these questions, having products that do not satisfy consumers, especially in tenderness, which is the most important sensory trait for acceptance. Aging, tenderizing of meat due to endogenous muscle enzymes present in living muscle, which assume another role after slaughter, is one of the techniques applied by most international beef industries to improve sensory perception. On the other hand, in Brazil, there are no specific protocols for the different aging processes, what causes product loss, contamination, or rejection by consumers. In the last two or three years some butchers and national restaurants began to introduce a new product to replace the traditional vacuum-packed beef, the dry aged beef. However, Brazil does not have specific legislation for this process, as well as protocols to ensure the safety and sensory quality. In the international market is it possible to find a new aging process, known as "special bag", in which beef presents characteristics as "dry aged", however with some advantages of the vacuum process. A better understanding of the aging process can bring innovations to industry and incentive interest in developing new processes to better meet the demands of consumers. (AU)