Ageing and retail display time in raw beef odour according to the degree of lipid oxidation

- Raw beef aroma over time in retail display from pre-aged knuckles for 15 or 22 days was monitored.
- Sensory odour and volatile compounds through SPME GC-MS were assessed.
- Degree of lipid oxidation affected the odour and the amount of volatile compounds.
- Five compounds were proposed as sensitive and precise odour shelf-life markers.

This study aims to assess the changes in beef aroma over time when steaks from pre-aged knuckles are stored in retail display under high oxygen conditions for 15 or 22 days in vacuum conditions. Odorous volatile compounds were analysed by solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results were grouped as low, medium and high oxidative groups according to thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values after 9 days of display. The intensity of off-odours in the raw meat increased with ageing and display time and oxidative groups. Based on correlations between the variables and regressions of the compounds through display, eight compounds were proposed as odour shelf-life markers. Among them, five were most sensitive and precise in all oxidative groups: 1-hexanol in meat aged for 15 days, ethyl- octanoate and 2-pentylfuran in meat aged for 22 days, and pentanoic and hexanoic acids in the two studied ageing times.