| dc.description.abstract | The millennial generation now outnumbers other generations and it is important to understand their drivers of meat consumption. In this study, beef, pork and chicken flavor attributes were created by using beef Top Choice strip loin steaks, beef Select outside round flat roasts, boneless pork loins, pork inside ham roasts, chicken breasts, and chicken thighs cooked to 58.3°C, 62.7°C or 80°C utilizing a food-service grill or Crock-pot®. Trained descriptive sensory attribute panel, central location test (CLT), in-home test (HUT) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry olfactory (GC-MS-O) were utilized to determine flavor. Raw meat fatty acid composition, non heme iron and myoglobin content, pH and fat and moisture were determined. Millennials (ages 18 to 34) or non-millennials (ages greater than 34) and were selected to be either light (eat beef 2 to 4 times per month) or heavy beef eaters (eat beef 3 or more times per week).
Cooking method, cut, and internal temperature impacted meat descriptive flavor and texture attributes. The Crock-pot®-cooked meat had less positive flavor attributes than the grill-cooked meat. Consumer group did not affect how consumers rated grill flavor, juiciness and tenderness. Light beef eaters rated overall, flavor, and species flavor lower than heavy beef eaters. Consumers liked beef regardless of generational segment or their consumption of beef. Millennials versus non-millennials did not differ in response to flavor of beef indicating that other factors drive consumption other than palatability factors.
Regression equations for beef, pork, chicken identity, brown/roasted, bloody/serumy, fat-like, metallic, liver-like, and umami accounted for 53, 64, 63, 42, 48, 46, 54, 56, and 46 percent of the variability, respectively using volatile aromatic compounds as independent variables. Overall flavor, tenderness, meat flavor, grill flavor, and juiciness liking accounted for 84 percent of the variation in overall consumer liking. Through interviews, consumers indicated that flavor was important to them when eating meat but price was the most important factor when purchasing beef.
The HUT reported millennials tended to not like the raw appearance at the same level as non-millennials. Millennial light beef eaters tended to rate some attributes lower, but this was seen across the four meat cuts. Consumers rated liking for the HUT higher than the CLT. In conclusion, millennial light and heavy beef eaters responded the same to flavor as non-millennial light and heavy beef eaters. | en |
