Topical Application of Acerola Cherry Powder in Combination With Rosemary Extract Extends the Shelf Life of Beef Chuck Roll and Bone-In Short Rib Steaks

Abstract

Improving the shelf life of steaks from beef chuck rolls and bone-in short ribs, items commonly exported, will increase the demand of beef in international markets. Our objectives were to determine the effect of topically applying combinations of acerola cherry powder and rosemary extract on steak color and lipid oxidation of beef chuck roll and bone-in short rib. USDA Choice beef chuck rolls (Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications [IMPS] 116A; N=9) andbone-in short ribs (IMPS 123A; N=18) were aged (0°C) 28 d and cut into 1.0 cm-thick steaks. Steak treatments included the following: untreated control (C) or topically sprayed (2 mL) with an acerola cherry powder solution (0.05% A), rosemary extract solution (0.10% R), or mixture of acerola cherry powder and rosemary extract (M1=0.05% A+0.1% R; M2=0.1% A+0.1% R; M3=0.05% A+0.2% R; M4=0.1% A+0.2% R). On day 0 of retail display, oxygen consumption, metmyoglobin-reducing activity, and lipid oxidation were measured. Lipid oxidation was evaluated again following 4 d of retail display. Chuck roll steak color was scored twice daily, whereas short rib lean and bone marrow color were scored once daily throughout 4 d of retail display. Treating chuck roll steaks with M2, M3, and M4 decreased lipid oxidation compared to C and A (P=0.004). In short rib steaks, lipid oxidation remained constant from day 0 to 4 treated with M4 but increased for all other treatments (P<0.001). Chuck roll steaks treated with A, M2, and M3 were redder than C steaks (P=0.001). On days 0 and 4, untreated bone marrow was less red than all the antioxidant treated bone marrow (P=0.011). Antioxidant treatment did not improve subjective lean color for the chuck roll (P=0.324) or bone-in short rib (P=0.081). Topical application of M4 (0.1% acerola cherry powder and 0.2% rosemary extract) reduced lipid oxidation in both chuck roll and bone-in short rib steaks. Additionally, antioxidants alone or in combination with one another improve objective redness scores by up to 2 points; however, the subjective color panel did not observe lean color improvement.