Mineral profile, oxidative stability and color traits in dry aged meat: integrative analysis

Ribeiro, Ana J.; Braga, Fernando G.; Oliveira, Irene; Silva, Filipe; Teixeira, Paula; Saraiva, Cristina M.

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/54640

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Abstract(s)

Dry aging enhances beef's sensory quality, but the role of trace-element dynamics in driving physicochemical changes remains unclear. We dry-aged Longissimus lumborum loins (n = 12) for 60 days, sampling on days 1, 14, 35 and 60. Essential (Ca, K, Na, Mg, Fe, Se, Cr, Zn, Cu) and toxic (As, Cd, Co, Pb) elements were quantified by GF-AAS/FAAS; pH and L?, a?, b? color were measured with standard probes; lipid oxidation was assessed via TBARS; and myoglobin redox forms were determined spectrophotometrically. Inner muscle consistently retained higher K, Na, Mg, Zn, Cu and Cr compared to the crust (P < 0.01), reflecting diffusive retention during surface desiccation. Over 60 days, Ca, K, Se and Cr increased (P < 0.01) while Na and Mg decreased (P < 0.001). Iron and zinc exhibited a biphasic pattern, declining to day 35 and rebounding by day 60. Lipid oxidation intensified but remained below sensory rancidity thresholds (TBARS increased from 0.25 ± 0.07 to 0.65 ± 0.33 mg MDA/kg in inner meat and from 0.79 ± 0.15 to 1.53 ± 0.36 mg MDA/kg in crust; P < 0.001), concurrent with a pH rise from 5.61 ± 0.09 to 5.80 ± 0.19 (P < 0.001) and declines of approximately 11 % in redness (a?) and 15 % in yellowness (b?) (P < 0.01). Principal component analysis identified an oxidation-mineral-color gradient (PC1, 30.8 % variance) and a myoglobin-redox axis (PC2, 20.4 %), underscoring mechanistic links between trace element fluctuations, lipid oxidation, and color stability. These results demonstrate that dry aging concentrate minerals and that shifts in Fe, Se, and Zn trajectories modulate oxidative stability, pH drift, and pigment transformations, shaping dry-aged beef color and overall quality.

Keywords

Aging process Dry aged beef Lipid oxidation Meat color Mineral elements Myoglobin derivatives

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http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/54640

Citation

Ribeiro, A. J., Braga, F. G., Oliveira, I., & Silva, F. et al. (2025). Mineral profile, oxidative stability and color traits in dry aged meat: integrative analysis. LWT, 231, Article 118299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2025.118299