Effect of rigor temperature, ageing and display time on the meat quality and lipid oxidative stability of hot boned beef Semimembranosus muscle

•Tenderness, purge and cooking losses were not affected by rigour temperature.•Lightness (L*) increased with rise in rigour temperature and ageing time.•Lipid oxidative stability was not affected by rigour temperature.•Aliphatic to diallylmethylene proton ratio (Rad) increased with display time to show decline in PUFA quantities

The effects of rigor temperature (5, 15, 20 and 25 °C), ageing (3, 7, 14, and 21 days) and display time on meat quality and lipid oxidative stability of hot boned beef M. Semimembranosus (SM) muscle were investigated. Ultimate pH (pHu) was rapidly attained at higher rigor temperatures. Electrical conductivity increased with rigor temperature (p < 0.001). Tenderness, purge and cooking losses were not affected by rigor temperature; however purge loss and tenderness increased with ageing (p < 0.01). Lightness (L*) and redness (a*) of the SM increased as rigor temperature increased (p < 0.01). Lipid oxidation was assessed using 1H NMR where changes in aliphatic to olefinic (Rao) and diallylmethylene (Rad) proton ratios can be rapidly monitored. Rad, Rao, PUFA and TBARS were not affected by rigor temperature, however ageing and display increased lipid oxidation (p < 0.05). This study shows that rigor temperature manipulation of hot boned beef SM muscle does not have adverse effects on lipid oxidation.