Study shows lean finely textured beef improves burger quality

A study conducted last fall by a University of Arkansas student has shown Lean Finely Textured Beef, or lean beef trim, added at levels up to 20% in ground beef, improved fresh color, reduced spoilage and increased tenderness. Courtney Moon, a senior in animal science, presented a paper on the study at the annual student research competition sponsored by the Arkansas chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society of agriculture, and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

University of Arkansas meat science professor Jason Apple, who supervised the research along with laboratory staff, said Moon did an excellent job on the study. Apple assumed lean beef trim would negatively impact the quality of hamburgers, but, to his surprise, it made them better.

The uncooked patties with 20% lean beef trim held up better than those without for five days in a simulated retail display in terms of meat color and oxidative stress, or spoilage. Apple also said tenderness, measured by the force required to cut a patty, was better in the burgers containing Lean Finely Textured Beef. In addition to shelf-life advantages and enhanced eating quality, he said there are economic benefits.

“. . . it reduces the cost of a pound of ground beef by about 20¢ to 25¢,” said Apple.

For more information visit www.kla.org.

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