Relationships Between Fatty Acid Composition, Trained Panel Descriptors and Volatile Aroma Compounds of Ground Beef Patties of Brisket, Flank and Plate with 10, 20 and 30% Total Fat

The aim of this study was to determine the relationships, through principal component analysis (PCA), among fatty acid composition, trained panel descriptors, and volatile aroma compounds of ground beef patties produced from lean and fat trims of brisket, flank, and plate primals with 10, 20 or 30% total fat. We hypothesized that these primals would produce ground beef products with distinct flavor descriptors and aromatics. Four USDA Select carcasses from Bos taurus steers were selected randomly in a commercial packing plant. Brisket, flank, and plate were collected from both sides of the carcass and frozen at -20°C. Primals and subcutaneous fat were coarse ground (1.27 cm), then fine ground (0.32 cm) formed into hamburger patties (136-g patties), vacuum packaged and stored at −20°C until testing (< 14 d). Fatty acid composition, trained sensory analysis, and volatile aroma compounds from GC/MS were determined. The data were analyzed using PCA. The PCA generated with flavor descriptors and fatty acids for 20 and 30% flank beef patties indicated clusters with the flavor descriptors medicinal, refrigerator stale, heated oil, and myristic and vaccenic acid, whereas 10, 20, and 30% brisket patties were clustered with sour, sour aromatics, green hay like, bloody, metallic and eicosapentanoic and docosahexaenoic acid. Patties from plate that contained 20% fat were associated with elaidic acid. Loading plot of PCA with aromatic volatiles and sensory attributes indicated that plate 10, 20 and 30% were located at the positive PC1 and PC2 axes and clustered with 2-octanone, dodecane, and cyclotrisfloxane whereas brisket 10, 20 and 30% aromatics were located at negative PC1 and positive PC2, clustered with 2-nonenal, green hay like, metallic, fat and methane, and thiobis. Flank 10 and 30% were located at negative PC1 and PC2 and associated with medicinal, refrigerator stale and 2-butanone. Upon loading plot with fatty acid and aromatic volatile compounds, brisket 10, 20 and 30% were located close to the negative portion of the PC1 axes and clustered with 2-nonenal, benzeneethanol, and docosahexaenoic, lignoceric, and pentadecanoic acid. Plate 20 and flank 20% were close to the positive side of PC1 and clustered with pentanal, nonenal, and elaidic, eicosenoic, palmitic acid. In conclusion, flank patties were highly associated with undesirable flavors, and brisket patties associated with flavor attributes of iron influence, acidic compounds, and some polyunsaturated fatty acids. These results confirm our hypothesis that patties from brisket, flank, and plate primals have distinct flavor descriptors and aromatics.