Effects of food ingredients and oxygen exposure on premature browning in cooked beef

Premature browning (PMB) in the centre of cooked hamburgers and beef loin (M. longissimus dorsi) steaks was assessed visually and instrumentally. Rosemary extract, ascorbic acid, sodium lactate, polyphosphate or lingonberry juice were added to freshly ground beef with predominant oxymyoglobin, and hamburgers were cooked to 62 °C. In general, the tested ingredients did not reduce the extent of PMB in hamburgers, but polyphosphate tended to reduce PMB due to increased pH. Control burgers made of vacuum packaged meat with deoxymyoglobin were cooked to 62, 69 and 75 °C, and did not express PMB. Beef loins were injected with a solution of sodium lactate, polyphosphate and sodium chloride. Loin steaks were stored under 75% O2/25% CO2 for 5 days and also cooked to 62 °C. Injected steaks had less PMB than non-injected controls, but of a low magnitude unlikely to influence the perception of doneness. The study demonstrated that anaerobic packaging is the most efficient measure to avoid PMB in beef.

► Ground beef and beef loin steaks were blended or injected with food ingredients. ► Premature browning was generally not reduced by these ingredients. ► Polyphosphate increased pH and tended to reduce premature browning. ► Beef with oxymyoglobin expressed premature browning, but not beef with deoxymyoglobin. ► Anaerobic packaging is a reliable way of avoiding premature browning.