Eating quality of beef from free-range and confined Podolian young bulls

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of grazing on meat quality of young Pod- olian bulls by using 6 free-ranging (FR) and 6 confined (CON) animals slaughtered at 18 mo of age (Exp. 1). A second experiment (Exp. 2) was performed the subse- quent year where the age at slaughter was 15 mo of age (6 animals/group). Quantitative descriptive sensory analy- sis, water-holding capacity (WHC; thawing, centrifuga- tion, and cooking losses), and shear force (only in Exp. 2) were evaluated on LM, aged 8 d. Both experiments showed that CON animals produced beef with greater overall beef flavor (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively) and odor intensities (P < 0.10 and P < 0.05 in Exp. and 1 and 2, respectively) and increased malo- ndialdehyde contents (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively). In Exp. 2 beef from FR bulls showed higher sensory tenderness as compared with CON bulls (P < 0.05) and a lower shear force (P < 0.05). In Exp. 1, beef obtained from FR bulls showed lower centrifugation and greater thawing losses compared with samples from bulls from group CON (P < 0.05) whereas rearing system did not affect any WHC variables in Exp. 2. The results obtained from the 2 experiments were generally consis- tent. The different results occasionally observed (e.g., sensory tenderness and WHC) is attributed to the differ- ent ages at slaughter used in the 2 experiments (18 and 15 mo). In particular, at an earlier age at slaughter (15 mo) the effect of FR on meat quality was beneficial on sensory tenderness and mechanical properties. Therefore, given the additional costs of maintaining the bulls for another 3 mo when slaughtered at 18 mo of age, a reduced age at slaughter of FR bulls may be suggested to avoid the decrement of herbage mass availability inducing the con- sumption of high amounts of concentrate

Liking of traditional cheese and consumer willingness to pay

We review herein the relevance of credence and sensory attributes for cheese liking as a basis for subsequent discussion on attributes related to traditional dairy products such as place of origin, process characteristics, etc. Several studies suggest that place of origin may have a positive impact on consumer eval- uation. In addition, protected designation of origin labels generally affects consumers’ pur- chasing decisions, with a premium price paid for traditional products. Some of the main dimensions of traditional food products are: familiarity of the product, processing through traditional recipes, sensory properties and ori- gins. However, different dimensions can be relevant for consumers of different countries. Southern European regions frequently tend to associate the concept of traditional with broad concepts such as heritage, culture or history; whereas central and northern European regions tend to focus mainly on practical issues such as convenience, health or appro- priateness. Sensitivity to traditional cheese attributes may also vary according to different groups of consumers with older, more educat- ed and wealthier subjects showing higher will- ingness to pay and acceptance levels. Given that sensory properties play a central role in product differentiation, we can conclude that information about credence attributes, if reli- able, positively perceived and directed to sensi- tive groups of consumers, is able to affect con- sumer liking and willingness to pay for tradi- tional cheese. Thus, it provides a further potential tool for product differentiation to small-scale traditional farms, where husbandry is often based on extensive rearing systems and production costs tend to be higher

Starter cultures and preservation liquids modulate consumer liking and shelf life of mozzarella cheese

A holistic approach was set up to first identify the main dimensions affecting consumer decisions for purchasing mozzarella cheese and then modulate these aspects to meet consumer expectations. As sensory properties and absence of preservatives were identified through a preliminary food choice questionnaire, we compared two starters (commercial versus natural) and two preservation liquids (traditional versus inoculated solution) to evaluate their effects on sensory profile and shelf-life. Based on partial least squares regression, the largest subgroup of consumers preferred mozzarella made by natural starter, whereas there was no significant difference between the liking scores for the two preservation liquids studied. Lower counts of Enterobacteriaceae and psychrotrophs were observed in the product kept in the inoculated preservation solution. Therefore, the combination of the natural starter with the inoculated preservation liquid may represent the best option to meet the expectations of the consumers of mozzarella in terms of sensory characteristics and absence of preservatives

Development and validation of a quantitative frame of reference for meat sensory evaluation

As beef sensory evaluation has intrinsic pitfalls (cooking, variability within and between muscles and individual animals), a descriptive training program was designed to standardise evaluation practices among assessors. Reference samples corresponding to three levels of intensity (high, medium, low) for the most common meat sensory attributes (tenderness, chewiness, juiciness, flavour, odour) were developed by an experienced panel of 10 assessors (Panel A). Assessors rated the samples on a 100 mm unstructured linear scale with anchor points at each end (0: absent and 100: very strong). Different cooking methods (grilling, microwave and boiling) were employed in order to define different odour/flavour intensities. Tenderness thresholds were identified using different muscles (Psoas major, Longissimus dorsi, Extensor carpi radialis). Juiciness levels were obtained by cooking to different internal temperatures (65, 70, 75 C). Reference samples as defined by Panel A were used to train a new panel without previous experience (Panel B). After training, Panel B re-assessed the three levels of intensity of each attribute in blind conditions. The two panels rated attribute intensities similarly, apart from chewiness where a significant Panel Intensity interaction (P < 0.05) was observed. These results provided external validation of the reference samples to be used for beef sensory evaluation. Subsequently, both Panels A and B performed a descriptive analysis to evaluate the same beef samples originating from Podolian young bulls finished in either intensive or extensive conditions. Data were subjected to a three-way ANOVA (Panel + assessor (panel) + product + panel product) for the evaluation of the performance of the panels. No significant interactions panel product were observed. The effectiveness of the training programme was confirmed by the fact that the Panel B, trained using the reference frame, yielded results similar to those produced by Panel A. A total of 82 consumers validated the ranges of intensity identified by Panel A and confirmed by Panel B. Consumers scored the reference samples and succeeded in discriminating the three levels of intensity of all attributes (P < 0.001). These results show that the reference samples identified by Panel A and confirmed by Panel B were also perceivable by a group of untrained consumers. In conclusion, our descriptive training programme allowed to identify valid references for beef sensory evaluation and to produce a high reliability in terms of agreement between panels

Feeding, Nutrition and Sustainability in Dairy Enterprises: The Case of Mediterranean Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

Buffalo farming is a dairy enterprise emerging in Italy and other European and non-European countries due to the progressive saturation of the dairy market, which requires product diversification. As a response to the increasing demand for dairy buffalo products, most farms are undertaking a progressive intensification of rearing techniques. In particular, feeding rely on different rations according to the physiological stage of the animals. Buffalo heifers are generally offered a total mixed ration based on corn silage and ryegrass hay, which require high amounts of water, chemical fertilisers and fossil fuel. Additionally, lactating buffaloes receive concentrates with an even higher environmental impact, whereas more fibrous feeds are used in the dry period. Although the emission factors for enteric fermentation and manure management in buffaloes appear to be 38.4 % and 20.5 % less than in dairy cows, respectively, the contribution of dairy buffalo farms to global warming has been estimated as higher than that produced by dairy cow farms. Therefore, studies are needed to assess the general environmental impact of this species and identify alternative environmental friendly rearing techniques