Palatability Assessments of Beef Top Loin Steaks Sourced from Three Quality Grade/Brand Categories from Texas and Non-Texas Processing Establishments

Beef top loin steaks from Top Choice (Modest and Moderate marbling), (primarily Small Select (Slight marbling) beef strip loins Texas Non-Texas (Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado) processing establishments were obtained to determine the role of source USDA grade/brand category on consumer sensory panel Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) evaluations. The number 58 Choice, 54 56 60 52 Select. There × interactions for overall liking (P = 0.012) tenderness 0.002) in which received ratings that did not differ > 0.05) but < steaks. no 0.079) differences WBS values 2 sources even though P value approached significance. For quality category, there 0.001) values, direction one might expect: had lowest compared with those steaks, each other. Percentage dis- tribution according categories showed all regardless source, met threshold Very Tender (WBS 31.4 N) or (31.4 N 38.3 N). While geographic purchasing biases may remain, these data assist supporting informed decisions regarding palatability acceptability as functions sourcing.