The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dry-aging and wet-aging conditions on the chemical composition, meat quality traits (color, water holding capacity, cooking loss, WBSF and pH) and shelf-life TBARS (2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and VBN (volatile basic nitrogen) of loin (M. longissimus thoracis), sirloin (M. glutaeusmedus) and top-round (M. semimembranosus) cuts of Hanwoo cows. The dry-aging condition (temperature ℃, relative humidity %) was done for 60 d as 2℃, 65％, 20 d＋2℃, 75％, 20 d＋4℃, 85％, 20 d while, the wet-aging was done for 60 d at 1℃, 85%. Results revealed that moisture content was significantly higher in the dry-aged samples than that of the wet-aged samples at 60 d (p<0.05). The a*- and b*-values were significantly higher in 3 cuts as compared with those treated with wet-aging condition. During the dry-aging time, the WHC significantly increased in the loin and sirloin and they were significantly higher than wet-aging condition at 40 d and 60 d (p<0.05). The WBSF values significantly decreased with increased aging time and there was no significant difference between two aging methods. The TBARS and VBN contents significantly increased with increased aging time for all the wet- and dry-aged cuts, and their levels still fell within the acceptable standard limit. Generally, the TBARS and VBN contents were significantly higher in the dry-aged cuts, probably due to the increased levels of protein and fatty acids oxidations. Based on the results obtained in the present study, it can be suggested that application of dry-aging method can improve the quality characteristics of beef.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of age on the oxidative stability of Hanwoo (Korean cattle) cow beef. The samples of M. longissimus dorsi from 65 and 133 months-old-Hanwoo cows (4 and 3 heads, respectively) were stored at 4±0.2℃ for 9 days. The proximate composition, total myoglobin content, pH value, water-holding capacity and drip loss were not significantly affected by age. At day 9 of storage, the lipid oxidation (2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) was significantly (p<0.05) higher in beef from 133 months-old-cows than 65 months-old-cows. Lower (p<0.05) oxymyoglobin concentration and R630-R580 value and higher (p<0.05) metmyoglobin concentration were observed in beef from 133 months-old-cows at day 9 of storage than 65 months-old-cows. The CIE a*, b* and C* values were significantly (p<0.05) lowered in beef from 133 months-old-cows at day 9 of storage than 65 months-old-cows. It could be concluded that old age decreased the lipid oxidation stability and myoglobin oxidation stability in Hanwoo cow beef.

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of parity on chemical composition and meat quality of Hanwoo cows (n=74, 2-15 years old). The beef loin and top round muscle samples were obtained and divided by 3 groups of parity numbers (G1, 0; G2, 1-3; G3, 4-9 times). Loin and top round from G1 had significantly higher intramuscular fat contents and lower protein contents than those from G3 (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in collagen contents among 3 parity groups (p>0.05). In meat color, G1 was higher in a* values for loin and higher in L* and a* values for top round muscle (p<0.05). The loin from G1 had significantly lower cooking loss (%) than G3, however, there was no significant difference in water holding capacity among 3 parity groups. For top round muscle, G3 had significantly higher Warner-Bratzler shear force values and lower water holding capacity values than G1 (p<0.05). In fatty acid composition, G1 had significantly higher C18:1n7 and C18:1n9 contents for loin, and it had significantly higher C16:1n7 and C18:1n7 contents for top round than those of the other groups (p<0.05). In free amino acid composition, alanine was highest and followed by glutamine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, proline, glycine, methionine. In conclusion, the parity conditions influenced on chemical composition and meat quality depending on different cut of Hanwoo cows, and the parity numbers were related with the age of cows.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of muscle part and aging period on free amino acids and aroma compounds of Hanwoo (Korean cattle) cow beef. The M. longissimus (ML) and M. semitendinosus (MS) from 101 mon-old-cows were aged at 2℃ for 14 d. The free amino acids concentration increased in both ML and MS on 14 d of aging. In ML, asparagine, glutamine, histidine, glycine, threonine, arginine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine and lysine were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in MS. Varieties of aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, hydrocarbons, nitrogen and sulfur compounds were detected in both ML and MS and majority of these compounds showed increasing trend on aging. The ML had higher 14 aldehydes (acetaldehyde, 2-methylpropanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2- methylbutanal, pentanal, hexanal, heptanal, E-2-heptanal, octanal, 2-octenal, 2-nonenal, E-2-decenal, E,E-2,4-decadienal and 2-undecenal), 5 ketones (2-propanone, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanone, 2-heptanone and 2,3-octanedione), 4 alcohols (ethanol, 1-pentanol, 1-hexanol and 1-octanol), 3 hydrocarbons (3-ethyl-2-methyl-1,3-hexadiene, 3- methyldecane and 2,2-dimethyloctane) significantly (p<0.05) compared with MS. However, the MS had higher 5 nitrogen and sulfur compounds (methanethiol, dimethyldisulfide, fufural, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine and 2-octylfuran) significantly (p<0.05) compared with ML.