Relationship Between TBA Numbers and Inexperienced Panelists’Assessments of Oxidized Flavor in Cooked Beef

ABSTRACT Fifty‐two inexperienced sensory panelists rated a series of ground beef samples four or six times for intensity of oxidized flavor. Correlation coefficients for sensory scores versus TBA numbers were significant but low. Variability in panelist scoring appeared to account partly for the lower values. Of the 52 panelists tested, 28 were determined statistically to be consistent in their scoring of the treatment variables. Correlation coefficients were higher for this group of panelists. The initial range of oxidized flavor detection for this panel group was within a range of TBA numbers that closely resembled the previously determined threshold level for trained panelists.