Influential Article Review - Examining the Bunkering Choice Determinants The Case of the Port of Antwerp

This paper examines transportation. We present insights from a highly influential paper. Here are the highlights from this paper: From a European, regional and local perspective, as well as from the perspective of port authorities, it is important that waterborne transport becomes sustainable. As possible solutions to comply with new types of legislation (SECA-zones), shipping companies consider amongst others the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low sulphur fuel. An important aspect in the choice of fuel are the current bunker strategies of the shipping companies. Therefore, this research deals with the bunker market and wants to increase the insight into the strategy of the shipping companies, why they bunker in Antwerp or in another port (e.g. Rotterdam). Which criteria are the most important: the price per tonne, the quality of the fuel, or another characteristic (e.g. calling pattern)?The research question is answered with a discrete choice experiment, evaluating the preferences of the shipping lines. A multinomial logit model is chosen for this experiment because of the low expected number of respondents. The research is further expanded with more in-depth interviews with bunkering decision makers of various shipping companies. For our overseas readers, we then present the insights from this paper in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German

Optimizing ground beef lean sources to maximize display color life

It is widely accepted that meat color is the most important influencer of consumers’ meat purchasing decisions. Understanding how ground cow meat discolors is, and will continue to be, very important as a large influx of cull dairy cows in the U.S. meat supply is predicted. Optimal management and more timely marketing of cows should result in increased revenue for the beef industry. However, many valuable by-products from cows have been labeled as specified risk materials accompanied by a lost value. Thus, there is an unprecedented need to add value to cow meat. Research characterizing cow muscles and how to optimally use them for ground beef production could increase the value of cull cows and result in improved management and use of meat from cull cows. Our objectives were to evaluate the display color life of ground beef from different muscle combinations that vary in pre-established color stability values and determine if using beef or dairy cow meat affects color dynamics and stability of ground beef

MF2315

Melvin Hunt et al, Making ground beef patties and sausage safer, Kansas State University, January 1998

Effects of pH and location within a loin on pork quality

Eighty-one boneless pork loins were used to determine the influence of pH on quality characteristics. With increasing loin pH, instrumental values for L* (lightness) and b* (yellowness) of loins and chops decreased, and cooking losses of chops before 0 d and after 1 d of retail display also decreased. The pH had no effects on package losses or Warner-Bratzler shear force values of chops. Center loin chops (0 d and 1 d) had higher ratios of reflectance than blade and sirloin chops. Sirloin chops had higher ratio of reflectance than blade chops. Center loin chops had lower package losses than blade and sirloin chops. Blade chops had lower (more tender) WBS values than center loin and sirloin chops. Measuring loin pH can predict instrumental color (L*and b*) values as well as cooking losses

Effects of freezing pork chops on warner-bratzler shear force and cookery traits

Eighty-one boneless pork loins were used to determine the influence of freezing and pH on Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS) values and cookery traits. Chops with lower pH (<5.5 to 5.5) had higher cooking losses than chops with intermediate pH (5.7 to 5.9) and higher pH (6.0 to >6.2). Similar to cooking losses, total moisture losses decreased with increased pH. Frozen chops had lower WBS values (more tender) than fresh chops. However, fresh chops had a higher total yield (lower moisture loss) than frozen chops

Effects of processing variables on iridescence in precooked beef

Beef semitendinosus (ST) muscles with injected water (3 or 10% of raw muscle weight) and phosphate (0.3%) were cooked to final internal temperatures of 130 (held at 130 for 121 min), 140 (held at 140 for 12 min), 145, or 155°1\ then sliced at 30, 45, 120, 130, or 145\u3c\u3eP by either a dull or a sharp slicer. Biceps femoris (BF) muscles had the same treatment but only at 3% water addition. Controls were uninjected muscles from the opposite side of the carcass. For ST muscles (all with 0.3% added phosphate), 3% added water resulted in less iridescence than controls and those containing 10% added water. Iridescence was also lowered by cooking to 130°F (held for 121 min), slicing at 30 ÌŠF or slicing with a dull slicer blade. Iridescence varied (P\u3c.05) among muscles from different carcasses under the same cooking and slicing conditions. BF muscles had much less iridescence than ST muscles. Our results show that processing-cooking- slicing alterations can help reduce iridescence, especially for the ST (eye of round) muscle

Influence of slaughter age and carcass suspension on meat quality in Angus heifers

This study investigated the effects of pelvic suspension and slaughter age on longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) from 40 heifers with at least 75% Angus breeding. A total of 20 heifers were slaughtered directly from pasture at 18 months of age, and carcass sides were hung either by the Achilles tendon or the pelvic bone. The other 20 heifers were assigned to an additional winter housing period and slaughtered at 22 months of age; carcass sides were hung only by Achilles suspension. All carcasses were electrically stimulated and assessed according to the EUROP carcass classification system. In addition, the LTL muscles were aged for 7 or 14 days before meat quality was evaluated for intramuscular fat (IMF), drip loss, colour, shear force, compression and sensory analysis. The 22-month-old heifers were heavier, fatter and had more IMF than 18-month-old heifers. Conformation scores (muscling) did not differ between the two slaughter groups. Pelvic suspension reduced both between- and within-animal variation for peak force, total energy and compression peak force. For the 18-month-old heifers, pelvic suspension also decreased peak force, total energy and compression variables for the LTL muscles from both ageing periods, whereas Achilles-suspended samples had lower shear force values only at day 14. Sensory analysis showed that pelvic-suspended sides had greater tenderness, lower bite resistance, less threadiness, higher juiciness and meat flavour and less visible marbling than meat from Achilles-suspended sides. Pelvic-suspended sides at 18 months of age were similar in peak force and total energy values to the 22-month-old heifers. The importance of ageing the Achilles-suspended sides was more obvious for samples from 18-month-old heifers than from the 22-month-old animals. The correlations between the different instrumental measurements and sensory tenderness were considerably higher for carcasses suspended by the Achilles tendon (r = -520.55 to 0.20) than for those hung by the pelvic bone (r = -520.25 to 0.19). More correlations between sensory-evaluated tenderness and shear variables were significant after 7 days (n = 6) of ageing than after 14 days (n = 4) of ageing. This study clearly shows the benefits of pelvic suspension, which reduces the need for additional feeding after pasture

Can natural flavorings enhance the flavor of low-fat ground beef?

Natural flavorings were evaluated for use in low-fat ground beef, which frequently lacks flavor intensity. Three lean sources, A-maturity (young), E-maturity (mature cow), and imported (cow) beef round muscles, were used to formulate 7% and 25% fat ground beef. A-maturity fat was added to adjust fat levels. Controls (no added flavors) were prepared for each lean source. No additives were used in 25% fat controls, but 7% fat controls contained water (10%), carrageenan (.5%), and encapsulated salt (.38%). Four natural flavorings; Dried Cream Extract (DCE, Cumberland Packing Co., Inc.); Natural Prime Beef Base WONF #224545 and #224546 (224545, 224546, Tastemaker); and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP, A.C. Legg, Inc.) were added to 7% fat ground beef at recommended levels. A- and E-maturity domestic 25% fat controls were scored higher (P\u3c.05) for ground beef flavor intensity and lower (P\u3c.05) for off-flavors than 25% fat patties from imported beef. The 7% fat patties from imported lean had greater (P\u3c.05) beef flavor intensity and reduced off-flavors (P\u3c.05) when flavorings 224545, 224546, and HVP were added. These flavorings also enhanced the beef flavor intensity of low-fat patties from A-maturity lean to a level similar to that of the 25% fat control. Beef flavor intensity after a 60-min holding period was not enhanced by the natural flavorings, except when 224546 was added to E-maturity domestic lean. Therefore, the natural flavorings were most beneficial with imported lean

Effects of injection marination with various calcium sources and molar concentrations on display color life, tenderness, and microbial inhibition of beef loin steaks

Beef strip loins were assigned to one of 11 treatments that included injection marination (10% by weight) with three calcium salts at three molar concentrations, a distilled water control, and a non-marinated control. The effects of calcium salt and concentration were tested for retail display color life, tenderness and sensory traits, and microbial growth. Calcium lactate marinated steaks had longer color life and less microbial growth than those treated with calcium chloride or calcium ascorbate. Increasing molar concentration (.1M to .2M to .3M) caused faster color deterioration, and did not significantly improve microbial inhibition. All calcium treatments improved tenderness; however, calcium chloride treatments induced off-flavors. Considering a whole system approach that accounts for color life, microbial inhibition, shear force, and sensory traits, we recommend injecting beef longissimus with 10% of a .1M solution of calcium lactate, and do not recommend other calcium salts or concentrations

Nutritional effects of beef connective tissue characteristics and eating qualities

We compared taste panel and connective tissue characteristics of beef fed a high energy diet with beef fed grass. The high energy diet produced higher USDA quality and yield grades, more rapid weight gain, and increased connective tissue collagen synthesis arid breakdown. But, it did not consistently improve taste panel and shear characteristics over grass-feeding