Consumer Sensory Acceptance and Value of Wet-Aged and Dry-Aged Beef Steaks

To determine sensory preference and value of fresh beef steak differing in aging technique, strip steaks were evaluated by consumers in Denver (n = 132 consumers) and Chicago (n = 141 consumers). Wet-aged Choice strip loins were matched with dry-aged Choice strip loins, whereas wet-aged Prime strip loins were matched with dry-aged Prime strip loins. Dry-aged strip loins were commercially aged in air in a controlled environment for 30 d and vacuum-aged for 7 d during shipping and storage. Wet-aged strip loins were vacuum-packaged and aged for 37 d in a 1°C cooler. Pairs of strip loins were matched to similar Warner- Bratzler shear force values and marbling scores. Twelve sensory evaluation panels (of 12 scheduled panelists each) were conducted over a 3-d period in each city. Individual samples from a pair of steaks were evaluated by the panelists for sensory traits. Bids were placed on the samples after sensory traits were obtained utilizing a variation of the Vickery auction with silent, sealed bids. No significant differences for sensory traits of flavor, juiciness, tenderness, or overall acceptability were detected between wet-aged Choice samples and dry-aged Choice samples. Although wet-aged Choice samples were numerically superior for all sensory traits, consumers placed similar bid values (P = 0.12) on wet- and dry-aged Choice samples ($3.82 per 0.45 kg and$3.57 per 0.45 kg, respectively). Wet-aged Prime samples were rated more desirable (P \u3c 0.001) for flavor, tenderness, and overall acceptability than dry-aged Prime samples. Wet-aged Prime samples were valued at $4.02 per 0.45 kg, whereas dry-aged Prime samples brought$3.58 per 0.45 kg (P = 0.008). Consumers (29.3%) who preferred the dry-aged Choice samples over the wet-aged Choice samples were willing to pay $1.99/0.45 kg more (P \u3c 0.001) for dry-aged samples. The consumers who preferred the wet-aged Choice over the dry-aged Choice samples (39.2$1.77/0.45 kg more (P \u3c 0.0001). Consumers who preferred wet-aged Prime over dry-aged Prime samples (45.8%) paid $1.92/0.45 kg more (P \u3c 0.0001). Consumers who preferred dry-aged Prime samples (27.5$1.92/0.45 kg more than for the wet-aged Prime samples. Although more consumers preferred wet-aged samples, markets do exist for dry-aged beef, and consumers are willing to pay a premium for this product

G-TRACE: rapid Gal4-based cell lineage analysis in Drosophila.

We combined Gal4-UAS and the FLP recombinase-FRT and fluorescent reporters to generate cell clones that provide spatial, temporal and genetic information about the origins of individual cells in Drosophila melanogaster. We named this combination the Gal4 technique for real-time and clonal expression (G-TRACE). The approach should allow for screening and the identification of real-time and lineage-traced expression patterns on a genomic scale

Setting benchmarks for modelling gas–surface interactions using coherent control of rotational orientation states

A fundamental and predictive understanding of molecule-surface interactions is challenging to obtain. Here the authors report an experimental technique allowing direct measurement of the scattering matrix, which reports on the coherent evolution of quantum states of a molecule scattering from a surface

Dynamical downscaling of historical climate over CORDEX Central America domain with a regionally coupled atmosphere–ocean model

The climate in Mexico and Central America is influenced by the Pacific and the Atlantic oceanic basins and atmospheric conditions over continental North and South America. These factors and important ocean–atmosphere coupled processes make the region’s climate a great challenge for global and regional climate modeling. We explore the benefits that coupled regional climate models may introduce in the representation of the regional climate with a set of coupled and uncoupled simulations forced by reanalysis and global model data. Uncoupled simulations tend to stay close to the large-scale patterns of the driving fields, particularly over the ocean, while over land they are modified by the regional atmospheric model physics and the improved orography representation. The regional coupled model adds to the reanalysis forcing the air–sea interaction, which is also better resolved than in the global model. Simulated fields are modified over the ocean, improving the representation of the key regional structures such as the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the Caribbean Low Level Jet. Higher resolution leads to improvements over land and in regions of intense air–sea interaction, e.g., off the coast of California. The coupled downscaling improves the representation of the Mid Summer Drought and the meridional rainfall distribution in southernmost Central America. Over the regions of humid climate, the coupling corrects the wet bias of the uncoupled runs and alleviates the dry bias of the driving model, yielding a rainfall seasonal cycle similar to that in the reanalysis-driven experiments.Universidad de Costa Rca/[805-B7-507]/UCR/Costa RicaCRYOPERU/[144-2015]//PerúUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigaciones Geofísicas (CIGEFI

Consumer Sensory Acceptance and Value of Domestic, Canadian, and Australian Grass-Fed Beef Steaks

To determine US consumer acceptance and value of beef from various countries, 24 taste panels of consumers (n = 273 consumers) were conducted in Denver and Chicago. Two pairs of strip steaks were evaluated for flavor, juiciness, tenderness, and overall acceptability on eight-point hedonic scales. One pair consisted of an Australian grass-fed strip steak and a domestic strip steak, whereas the other pair included Canadian and domestic strip steaks. The pairs were matched to similar Warner-Bratzler shear values and marbling scores to decrease variation associated with tenderness and juiciness. A variation of the Vickery auction was used to obtain silent, sealed bids on steaks (0.45 kg) from the same strip loins sampled in the taste panel. Consumers gave higher (P \u3c 0.001) scores for flavor, juiciness, tenderness, and overall acceptability for domestic steaks compared with Australian grass- fed steaks. Domestic steaks averaged $3.68/0.45 kg, whereas consumers placed an average value of$2.48/ 0.45 kg on Australian grass-fed steaks (P \u3c 0.001). Consumers rated Canadian steaks numerically lower for juiciness (P = 0.09) and lower (P \u3c 0.005) for flavor, tenderness, and overall acceptability than domestic samples. Consumers placed an average value of $3.95/ 0.45 kg for domestic steaks and$3.57/0.45 kg for Canadian steaks (P \u3c 0.01). Consumers (19.0%) who preferred Australian grass-fed steaks over domestic steaks paid $1.38/0.45 kg more (P \u3c 0.001), whereas consumers (29.3$1.37/0.45 kg more (P \u3c 0.001) for the Canadian steaks. A majority of US consumers seem to be accustomed to the taste of domestic beef and prefer domestic steaks to beef from Australia grass-fed and Canadian beef