High-intensity ultrasound improves color and oxidative stability of beef from grain-fed and pasture-fed Nellore cattle

This research aimed to evaluate the influence of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) levels (control: 0; high: 747.79; ultra-high: 1344.17 Wcm(- 2)) on pH, instrumental color (redness, R630/580, hue angle and chroma) and oxidative stability (lipid and protein oxidation) of Psoas major (PM) muscle from Nellore cattle raised in two feeding systems: grain and pasture. Using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, the relations (P > 0.05) between exogenous (HIU levels) and endogenous (pH, color, lipid and protein oxidation) variables were observed. In beef from grain-fed animals the pH was directly and negatively related to lipid oxidation (gamma = -0.321), hue angle (gamma = -0.847) and chroma (gamma = -0.442) and protein oxidation (gamma = -0.752). In PM from pasture-fed HIU exhibited a negative relation with lipid (gamma = -0.144) and protein (gamma = -0.743) oxidation, suggesting a possible positive influence on the oxidative stability of meat and a positive relation with redness (gamma = 0.197) and R630/580 (gamma = 0.379). The HIU positively influenced the color and oxidative stability of beef from Bos indicus cattle, and a synergistic effect of HIU and feeding system on beef from pasture-fed animals.

Automated summary

This research aimed to assess the impact of high-intensity ultrasound levels on the pH, color, and oxidative stability of beef from Nellore cattle raised under different feeding systems. The study found that high-intensity ultrasound had varying effects on the properties of meat from different feeding systems.