Effects of Acid Whey Marination on Tenderness, Sensory and Other Quality Parameters of Beef Eye of Round

The growth of the Greek-style yogurt market is causing many problems for dairy companies who are trying to handle the voluminous whey by-product. Acid whey, unlike sweet whey, has a low amount of protein and high amounts of lactic acid, calcium, and other minerals. Therefore, it has limited commercial value to the food industry and often requires additional processing for disposal. Lactic acid and calcium solutions have shown efficacy in increasing the tenderness of beef and other types of meat. The purpose of this project is to investigate the use of acid whey, with its high amounts of lactic acid and calcium, to tenderize beef (eye of round, IMP 171C) during marination. This study evaluated the effects of marination of utilizing acid whey in improving quality parameters of beef. 13 roasts (Top round steaks from USDA Select steers) were randomly assigned to one of six marination treatments: (1) calcium chloride, (2) lactic acid, (3) phosphate (4) acid whey (lot 1), (5) acid whey (lot 2), and (6) control. Steaks were marinated in vacuum pouches, aged for 48 hours, cooked to 70º C and evaluated by a consumer sensory panel and other quantitative tests (texture analyzer, colorimeter, collagen, cook loss, and pH). Marination with acid whey increased the tenderness and juiciness ratings without decreasing hedonic liking scores for the overall flavor or aftertaste of the beef samples.