Dry-aged beef manufactured in Japan: Microbiota identification and their effects on product characteristics

• Published in: Food research international 2021-02, Vol.140, p.110020-110020, Article 110020
• Main Authors: Mikami, Nana, Toyotome, Takahito, Yamashiro, Yoshitaka, Sugo, Koyuki, Yoshitomi, Kotone, Takaya, Masahiro, Han, Kyu-Ho, Fukushima, Michihiro, Shimada, Kenichiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dry-aged beef; Helicostylum pulchrum; Meat quality; Mucor flavus; Psychrophilic mold; Volatile aroma compounds
• ISSN: 0963-9969; 1873-7145
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.110020

[Display omitted] •We identified psychrophilic Mucoraceae from dry-aged beef in Japan.•There are less lactic acid and coliform bacteria inside dry-aged beef.•Dry-aging did not improve the meat quality or increase free amino acid levels.•C17:0 fatty acids were higher in dry-aged beef, possibly due to microbial activity.•Dry-aging increased volatile aroma compounds responsible for distinctive flavors. We aimed to determine the mold, yeast, and bacterial distributions in dry-aged beef (DAB) manufactured in Hokkaido, Japan, and to study their effects on meat quality compared to wet-aged beef (WAB). Two rump blocks from Holstein steer were dry- and wet-aged for 35 days at 2.9 °C and 90% RH. The psychrophilic molds Mucor flavus and Helicostylum pulchrum and other fungi (Penicillium sp. and Debaryomyces sp.) appeared on the crust of DAB, while lactic acid bacteria and coliforms were suppressed in the inner part of the meat. The composition of C16:0, C18:0, and C18:1 fatty acids did not differ between DAB and WAB, while more C17:0 fatty acids were detected in DAB. Dry aging suppressed acids and increased the production of various aroma compounds with mushroom-like, nutty, and other pleasant flavors. The meat quality and free amino acid (FAA) contents of DAB and WAB did not differ significantly. In this study, we identified major molds on DAB, which might contribute to an increase in aroma. Keywords: dry-aged beef; Mucor flavus; Helicostylum pulchrum; psychrophilic mold; meat quality; volatile aroma compounds.