Unleashing the Potential of Indigenous Malaysian High Lean Beef Cattle (Kedah-Kelantan) for Steak Preparation

Abstract

Abstract Lean beef refers to cuts with lower fat, appealing to those watching fat intake. This study was conducted to assess ribeye steak from Malaysian High Lean Beef (Kedah-Kelantan) against Wagyu, Angus, Brahman, focusing on physicochemical and sensory aspects. Steaks were cut with 2.5cm thicknesses, were frozen at -20°C. KK’s meat quality matched Angus and Brahman but differ with Wagyu, especially for tenderness. Wagyu displayed the highest intramuscular fat (IMF), crude fat (CF; 39.50%), and lowest crude protein (CP; 15.78%). KK had the highest CP%; 19.18% as known having less marbled meat. Cooked steaks showed higher L* (lightness) and a* (redness), lower b* (yellowness). KK had lower water holding capacity (WHC). Sensory analysis showed moderate acceptance of KK by 30 untrained panellists. While KK’s ribeye potential falls below Wagyu, it was comparable to Angus and Brahman. Improving KK’s quality via meat technology is crucial for better consumer satisfaction, particularly in texture improvement.