Efecto de la maduración en húmedo de carne de toretes Girolando sobre sus características fisicoquímicas y sensoriales

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different wet aging times on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of meat from 10 Girolando bulls with an average age of 25 months and a weight of 517.20 ± 56.61 kg. The meat samples were obtained from the harvesting plant and taken to the meat processing facility to be randomly assigned to one of the four proposed aging times: 0, 7, 14, and 21 days. After the respective aging time, the pH of the samples was determined using a pH meter, the color spectrum (L*, a*, b*) using a handheld spectrophotometer, the cooking loss, the Warner-Bratzler shear strength, and consumer preference. The data obtained for the physicochemical variables (pH, color, loss on cooking, and shear strength) were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. To determine the significance of the treatment effects, the DGC test was used with a significance level of 0.05. For the preference test, the data were analyzed using a table designed to estimate the significance of specific paired preference tests in forced-choice situations between two alternatives, as well as using a contingency table (chi-square). Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found for all variables evaluated, except for the a* spectrum, among the treatments. The 21-day treatment yielded the best values ​​for the physicochemical variables, but not for the preference test, in which the 0-day treatment obtained the best results. It can be concluded that, under the conditions of this experiment, wet aging is a viable alternative for improving the physicochemical characteristics of the meat; however, further work is needed to ensure that consumers appreciate this improvement.