Consumer evaluation of beef of known categories of tenderness.

TLDR

The study aimed to assess how consumers perceive tenderness and price differences in beef top loin steaks. The authors prepared 2.54‑cm steaks from strip loins, measured Warner‑Bratzler shear force to classify them into Red, White, and Blue tenderness categories, and then had randomly recruited consumers evaluate and purchase the steaks while a $1.10/kg price differential was applied across categories. Consumers could differentiate tenderness, rated Red steaks higher in juiciness, flavor, and overall satisfaction, and purchased 94.6 % of Red, 3.6 % of White, and 1.8 % of Blue steaks, indicating a willingness to pay a premium for improved tenderness.

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine consumer perceptions of beef top loin steaks of known shear force and to evaluate how buying trends were modified by the tenderness and price variations of these steaks. Strip loins were cut into a 2.54-cm-thick steaks, and the center steak from each strip loin was used to determine Warner-Bratzler shear force. The remaining steaks were placed into one of the following shear force categories based on that shear force and color-coded accordingly: 1) 2.27 to 3.58 kg (Red); 2) 4.08 to 5.40 kg (White); and 3) 5.90 to 7.21 kg (Blue). Randomly recruited consumers were allowed to evaluate steaks and then purchase steaks based on their findings. A $1.10/kg price difference was placed between each category. Results of the analysis indicated that consumers were able to differentiate between the three categories of tenderness (P < .05). In addition, consumers gave higher (P < .05) juiciness and flavor ratings to Red steaks than to Blue steaks. Overall satisfaction was higher (P < .05) for Red steaks than for the other two categories of steaks. The following percentages of steaks were purchased: 1) Red, 94.6%; 2) White, 3.6%; and 3) Blue, 1.8%. These results suggest that consumers could discern between categories of tenderness and were willing to pay a premium for improved tenderness.