Effects of stepwise dry/wet-aging and freezing on meat quality of beef loins

• Stepwise dry/wet-aging and carcass dry-aging impacts on beef quality were compared
• Effects of cryogenic freezing on quality of aged-beef loins were determined
• Stepwise aging resulted in similar quality attributes to conventional carcass aging
• Cryogenic freezing decreased shear force values and improved water-holding capacity

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of stepwise dry/wet-aging and freezing method on quality attributes of beef loins. Paired loins (M. Longissimus lumborum) from eight carcasses were assigned to either stepwise dry/wet-aging (carcass dry-aging for 10 days then further wet-aging for 7 days in vacuum bags) or carcass dry-aging only for 17 days. Then, each loin was divided into three sections for freezing (never-frozen, blast or cryogenic freezing). Stepwise dry/wet-aged loin had lower purge/drip loss and shear force than conventionally dry-aged loin (P < 0.05), but similar color and sensory characteristics (P > 0.05). The cryogenic freezing resulted in a significant decrease in shear force values and a significant improvement in water-holding capacity (WHC). These findings indicate that the stepwise dry/wet-aging coupled with cryogenic freezing could provide beneficial impacts to the local meat industry by providing equivalent quality attributes as conventional dry-aging and improving WHC of frozen/thawed meat, while reducing the time needed for dry-aging.