2023-09-112023-09-112022Hernandez-Sintharakao, M.J., Swenson, J.K., Nair, M.N., Geornaras, I., Engle, T.E., Belk, K.E., & Woerner, D.R.. 2022. Changes in the Flavor Profile of Ground Beef Resulting from the Application of Antimicrobial Interventions. Meat and Muscle Biology, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.22175/mmb.13495https://doi.org/10.22175/mmb.13495https://hdl.handle.net/2346/96015© 2022 Hernandez-Sintharakao, et al. cc-byThe objective of this study was to characterize flavor, fatty acid composition, and volatile compounds of beef treated with common antimicrobial interventions in beef processing facilities. The effect of 3 prechilling antimicrobial interventions (4.5% lactic acid [LA]; 400 ppm peroxyacetic acid acidified to pH 1.2 with a sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate blend [aPAA]; or untreated control [CON]) and 4 postchilling treatments (CON; LA; aPAA; or a 2.5% solution of a commercial blend of lactic and citric acid [LAC]) were analyzed. Briskets (n = 30/treatment) were treated before and after chilling using a custom-built pilot-sized spray cabinet, ground twice, and formed into patties. Cooked patties were analyzed by a trained sensory panel, and a subset of raw samples (n = 6) were analyzed for fatty acid composition and volatile compounds. Samples treated with LA before and after chilling were more intense in sourness than the CON (P <0.05). Fatty acid analysis showed no differences (P >0.05) due to the use of chemical interventions. Only postchilling treatments had an effect on volatile compounds. The relative abundances of pentanal and pentanol were greater (P <0.05) in LA-treated postchilling intervention samples than CON and LAC, hexanoic acid was greater (P <0.05) in aPAA than CON and LAC, and acetic acid was greater (P <0.05) in aPAA than LAC. Overall, these results demonstrated that LA pre-and postchilling antimicrobial interventions only impact the sourness of ground beef but did not affect the fatty acid composition, while postchilling antimicrobial treatments had a minimal impact on volatile compounds.engantimicrobial interventionsbeeffatty acidsflavorsensoryvolatile compoundsArticle