39C-5

A. A. BUSHWAY¹, K. E. Moore, M. E. Camire, K. Buzzard, and K. Davis-Dentici. (1) Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Maine, 5736 Holmes Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5736

JUSTIFICATION: With increased use of precooked ground beef products in foodservice, warmed over flavor continues to be a detrimental quality factor. Fruit purees offer a possible solution to this problem.

OBJECTIVE: This research examined the effect of blueberry puree on reducing warmed over flavor in precooked ground beef patties.

METHODS: Ground beef patties were formulated with 2, 3.5 or 5% (w/w) blueberry puree, broiled to an internal temperature of 74 C, cooled and either stored at 4-5 C or -18 C prior to analyses. Sensory analyses (texture, appearance, flavor and overall acceptability) were performed on day 10 and 40 of refrigerated and frozen storage, respectively. Thiobarbituric acid (TBAR) analysis was performed at day 0, 4 and 7 of refrigerated storage and day 0, 5, 20, 40, 60 and 105 of frozen storage. AVOVA and Waller-Duncan K-ratio t test were used for statistical analysis of data.

RESULTS: For refrigerated samples TBAR values for the control was significantly different (P<0.05) from samples containing blueberry puree following 7 days of storage. TBAR values for beef patties with different concentrations of blueberry puree were not significantly different at any of the sampling periods. Following five days of frozen storage control samples had significantly higher (P<0.05) TBAR values than any of the samples formulated with blueberry puree. These differences continued through 105 days of frozen storage. As with refrigerated samples, TBAR values for ground beef patties with different concentrations of blueberry puree were not significantly different at any of the sampling periods. Although sensory evaluation showed no significant differences among treatments, ground beef patties with blueberry puree were rated higher than controls for all attributes at day 7 and day 40 of refrigerated and frozen storage, respectively.

SIGNIFIANCE: Based on this research blueberry puree may be used to reduce the development of warmed over flavor in precooked ground beef patties.