Investigation on the effects of dry and wet aging methods on fresh beef quality

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of both dry and wet aging technique on beef meat quality. As a material, plate, ribeye rolls (M.longissimus dorsi) and short loins (M.multidus dorsi ) were used from 30 carcasses reaching final live weights 270-360. The samples were assigned to one of two aging treatments, dry or wet and were aged with vacuum packed and unpacked for during 28 d. Textural, chemical, microbiological and sensory properties of the samples were determine at 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28th day of storage. Aging conditions were set at 1.0 ± 2.0ºC, relative humidity 83 ± 11 %.There were no difference on chemical properties but the samples that aged during 28 d were unable to eat. As a result it is determined that aging technique and aging time affected textural an sensory characteristic of meat. Tenderness increased with postmortem aging (p<0,05).