RELATIONSHIP OF USDA MARBLING GROUPS TO PALATABILITY OF COOKED BEEF

Abstract As marbling increased from“practically devoid” to“moderately abundant”, loin steaks were more palatable (P<0.05) about 2/3 of the time, round steaks were more palatable (P<0.05) about 1/8 of the time, and loin steaks were more likely to be assigned high (≥6.00) panel ratings and to have low (≤3.63 kg) shear values. However, increases in marbling from“slight” to“moderately abundant” (A maturity) and from“small” to“moderately abundant” (A+B maturity) had little or no efect on percentage incidence of loin or round steaks with panel ratings ≤2.99 or ≥4.00, or with shear values ≥6.35 kg or ≤4.99 kg. Differences in marbling explained about 33% (loin) and 7% (top round) of the variation in overall palatability ratings in A, B, C, and A+B maturity carcasses.