Novel Application of Enhancing Maillard Reaction and Caramelization to Minimize Persistent Pinking in High-pH Cooked Ground Beef

High postmortem meat pH is considered the most important factor that predisposes meat to persistent pinking (undercooked appearance in cooked meat). The aim of this research was to determine the effects of enhancing non- enzymatic browning reactions by adding lysine and glucose on the cooked color of high-pH beef. Treatments included normal-pH (5.6) and high-pH ground beef (pH 6.4) controls. In addition, 1% lysine, 1% glucose, or 0.5% glucose + 0.5% lysine was added separately to high-pH ground beef. The patties were cooked to an internal temperature of 71°C on a George Foreman clam-shell grill. pH, interior color, myoglobin denaturation, and browning index were measured on all treatments. The experiment was replicated 5 times (n = 5). Cooked patties had a greater pH (P < 0.05) than raw patties. As expected, normal-pH patties had more (P < 0.05) interior cooked brown color, while high-pH patties had red or undercooked color. In support, myoglobin denaturation was lower (P < 0.05) in high-pH control than in normal-pH patties. Interestingly, addition of lysine, glucose, or a lysine + glucose combination reversed (P < 0.05) cooked redness associated with high-pH meat.. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in internal cooked redness among glucose, lysine, or glucose-lysine. Browning reaction products were more formed (P < 0.05) in lysine, glucose, or combination than high-pH control. The study suggests that enhancing Maillard reaction and caramelization by incorporating naturally occur- ring ingredients like glucose or lysine can reduce persistent pinking in high-pH ground beef.