Lean Percentage, Storage Times, and Griddle Temperature Affect Raw and Cooked Visual and Instrumental Color and Cooking Loss in Fresh Ground Beef Patties

To determine the effects of lean percentage (73% vs. 85%), storage time (24 vs. 72h) and griddle temperature (182.2°C vs. 221.1°C) on cooked color of fresh-never- frozen ground beef, coarse-ground beef was received in batches of either 73% or 85% lean, ground through a 9.5-mm plate before forming 150-g patties, and stored at 2°C for either 24 or 72h. Prior to cooking, patties were weighed, instrumental color (L*, a*, b*, C*, and hue angle) was measured, and patties were assigned a visual color score on a 9-point scale (1 = 90% discoloration). Patties were cooked on 1 of 2 clam-shell griddles set at either 182.2°C or 221.1°C to an internal temperature of 73.9°C before being placed in a plastic baggie and submerged in an ice water bath. Patties were allowed to cool for at least 20 min before they were reweighed to calculate cook loss percentage. Internal instrumental color was measured and a visual doneness score on a 5-point scale (1 = red to 5 = gray/ tan) was assessed. Cooking loss percentage was greatest (P < 0.05) in patties stored for 24h, patties that were 73% lean, and patties cooked at 221.1°C. Fresh patties that contained 73% lean or were stored for 24h were lighter (greater L*), redder (greater a*), more yellow (greater b*), more vivid (greater C*), and were less discolored (lower hue angle) than patties that contained 85% lean or were stored for 72h (P < 0.05). Visually, fresh patties that were 85% lean and stored for 72h were the most discolored (P < 0.05). Cooked patties that were held for 24h were lighter (P < 0.05) internally than those stored for 72h, whereas no significant difference in internal lightness was seen in patties of different lean percentage or patties cooked on different griddle temperatures. Regardless of storage time, 85% lean patties were redder and more vivid than 73% lean patties, which were redder at 24 than at 72h (P < 0.05). Patties stored for 24h and 85% lean were the most yellow and patties stored for 72h and 73% lean were the least yellow (storage time x lean percentage, P < 0.05). Visually, patties held for 72h, containing 73% lean, or cooked at 221.1°C appeared more done, whereas patties stored for 24h, 85% lean, or cooked at 182.2°C appeared more rare.