Objective: Determine consumer palatability ratings of grass-fed ground beef in comparison to Angus and commodity ground beef.
Study Description: Fresh grass-fed ground beef, Angus ground beef, and commodity 80/20 ground beef from 14 distinct production lots were used to manually form 4 oz patties using a stainless steel and acrylic template. Patties were cooked using a clam shell grill to obtain an internal temperature of 165°F after a post-cook temperature rise. A total of 98 consumers evaluated the cooked patties for tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, texture liking, and overall liking using 100 point line scales and each palatability trait was rated as either acceptable or unacceptable.
The Bottom Line: Angus and commodity ground beef were liked overall more than grass-fed ground beef, and Angus ground beef was more acceptable overall to consumers than grass-fed ground beef. Additionally, consumer’s acceptability for ground beef flavor was higher for commodity ground beef than grass-fed ground beef. Ground beef palatability and acceptability is influenced by the source of diet of the beef.
View full research report by authors F. Najar, E.A.E. Boyle, T.G. O ́Quinn, R. Danler, S. Stroda, L.N. Drey, K.R. Vierck, G. McCoy at http://newprairiepress.org/kaesrr.
