Beef Aging Guide Addendum Released

The Beef Checkoff has published an addendum to the Industry Guide for Aging Beef: Industry Guide for Beef Aging: Round Muscle Addendum.

The original guide covers findings by researchers at Colorado State University, who used 40 USDA Select and 40 upper two-thirds USDA Choice (Premium Choice) fresh carcasses to identify optimum aging periods for 17 individual cuts.

During the seven-month study, subprimals were fabricated into one-inch thick steaks, vacuum-sealed, stored at 36 degrees F and examined after 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, 21 and 28 days of aging.

The new addendum supports the launch of the new cuts from the round from the Beef Innovations Group (September 2010).

"Now, all of the relevant round muscles are covered regarding optimal aging," said Paul Parker, chairman of the Checkoff's Product Enhancement committee from Shawnee Mission, Kan. "This addendum provides optimum aging recommendations by muscle, and by quality grade within muscle, to maximize performance."