In two experiments, dark-cutting (DC) beef strip loins were used to test the effects of citric acid-enhancement pH on visual and instrumental color of fresh and cooked steaks. Dark cutting and normal pH strip loin were injected to 111% of raw product weight with pH 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, or 5.0 solutions by mixing citric acid in either 0.05% phosphate solution or tap water (Exp 1), or with pH 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 solutions made by mixing citric acid in either a 0.5% orthophosphate solution (PO4) or a 0.5% tripolyphosphate solution (STP) (Exp2). Loin sections were cut into 2.5-cm-thick steaks and assigned to either simulated retail display for five days or cooked. Post-enhancement pH of enhanced DC steaks did not (P ≥ 0.180) differ from that of non-enhanced DC steaks, regardless of solution pH (Exp 1); however, decreased linearly (P < 0.001) as solution pH decreased from 3.5 to 2.0, and the proportions of free and bound moisture of DC steaks enhanced with pH 2.5 solution were comparable (P ≥ 0.141) to that of CH (Exp 2). On d 1 and 3 of display, fresh color scores of enhanced DC steaks were greater (P < 0.001) than untreated DC (Exp 1), but color scores of CH steaks were greater (P < 0.001) than enhanced DC steaks (Exp 1 and 2). Conversely, in experiment 1, degree of doneness scores increased linearly (indicating greater doneness; P = 0.032) as solution pH increased from 3.5 to 5.0, and steaks enhanced with pH 4.0 and 4.5 solutions received lower (more red; quadratic, P = 0.012) cooked color scores than non-enhanced DC steaks, but neither score was comparable (P < 0.001) to those for CH steaks. While in experiment 2 enhancing DC sections with pH 2.5 solutions produced cooked color and degree of doneness scores that were similar (P ≥ 0.113) to non-enhanced CH steaks. Thus, enhancement with pH 2.5 citric acid solutions can effectively eliminate the persistent red cooked color typically associated with DC beef; however, citric acid enhancement failed to improve the fresh color of DC beef comparable to that of CH beef.
","abstract_html":"<p>In two experiments, dark-cutting (DC) beef strip loins were used to test the effects of citric acid-enhancement pH on visual and instrumental color of fresh and cooked steaks. Dark cutting and normal pH strip loin were injected to 111% of raw product weight with pH 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, or 5.0 solutions by mixing citric acid in either 0.05% phosphate solution or tap water (Exp 1), or with pH 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 solutions made by mixing citric acid in either a 0.5% orthophosphate solution (PO4) or a 0.5% tripolyphosphate solution (STP) (Exp2). Loin sections were cut into 2.5-cm-thick steaks and assigned to either simulated retail display for five days or cooked. Post-enhancement pH of enhanced DC steaks did not (P ≥ 0.180) differ from that of non-enhanced DC steaks, regardless of solution pH (Exp 1); however, decreased linearly (P < 0.001) as solution pH decreased from 3.5 to 2.0, and the proportions of free and bound moisture of DC steaks enhanced with pH 2.5 solution were comparable (P ≥ 0.141) to that of CH (Exp 2). On d 1 and 3 of display, fresh color scores of enhanced DC steaks were greater (P < 0.001) than untreated DC (Exp 1), but color scores of CH steaks were greater (P < 0.001) than enhanced DC steaks (Exp 1 and 2). Conversely, in experiment 1, degree of doneness scores increased linearly (indicating greater doneness; P = 0.032) as solution pH increased from 3.5 to 5.0, and steaks enhanced with pH 4.0 and 4.5 solutions received lower (more red; quadratic, P = 0.012) cooked color scores than non-enhanced DC steaks, but neither score was comparable (P < 0.001) to those for CH steaks. While in experiment 2 enhancing DC sections with pH 2.5 solutions produced cooked color and degree of doneness scores that were similar (P ≥ 0.113) to non-enhanced CH steaks. Thus, enhancement with pH 2.5 citric acid solutions can effectively eliminate the persistent red cooked color typically associated with DC beef; however, citric acid enhancement failed to improve the fresh color of DC beef comparable to that of CH beef.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Stackhouse, Ryan"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science in Animal Science (MS)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Owens, Casey M.","Seideman, Steven C."],"advisors":["Apple, Jason K."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2016,"date_issued":"2016-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2016-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:24Z","subjects":["Biological sciences","Citric acid enhancement","Color","Dark-cutting beef","Meat Science"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1752","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Owens, Casey M.","Seideman, Steven C."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Apple, Jason K."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Stackhouse, Ryan"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2016"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2017-09-29T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Animal Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Biological sciences","Citric acid enhancement","Color","Dark-cutting beef","Meat Science"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1752"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In two experiments, dark-cutting (DC) beef strip loins were used to test the effects of citric acid-enhancement pH on visual and instrumental color of fresh and cooked steaks. Dark cutting and normal pH strip loin were injected to 111% of raw product weight with pH 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, or 5.0 solutions by mixing citric acid in either 0.05% phosphate solution or tap water (Exp 1), or with pH 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 solutions made by mixing citric acid in either a 0.5% orthophosphate solution (PO4) or a 0.5% tripolyphosphate solution (STP) (Exp2). Loin sections were cut into 2.5-cm-thick steaks and assigned to either simulated retail display for five days or cooked. Post-enhancement pH of enhanced DC steaks did not (P ≥ 0.180) differ from that of non-enhanced DC steaks, regardless of solution pH (Exp 1); however, decreased linearly (P < 0.001) as solution pH decreased from 3.5 to 2.0, and the proportions of free and bound moisture of DC steaks enhanced with pH 2.5 solution were comparable (P ≥ 0.141) to that of CH (Exp 2). On d 1 and 3 of display, fresh color scores of enhanced DC steaks were greater (P < 0.001) than untreated DC (Exp 1), but color scores of CH steaks were greater (P < 0.001) than enhanced DC steaks (Exp 1 and 2). Conversely, in experiment 1, degree of doneness scores increased linearly (indicating greater doneness; P = 0.032) as solution pH increased from 3.5 to 5.0, and steaks enhanced with pH 4.0 and 4.5 solutions received lower (more red; quadratic, P = 0.012) cooked color scores than non-enhanced DC steaks, but neither score was comparable (P < 0.001) to those for CH steaks. While in experiment 2 enhancing DC sections with pH 2.5 solutions produced cooked color and degree of doneness scores that were similar (P ≥ 0.113) to non-enhanced CH steaks. Thus, enhancement with pH 2.5 citric acid solutions can effectively eliminate the persistent red cooked color typically associated with DC beef; however, citric acid enhancement failed to improve the fresh color of DC beef comparable to that of CH beef.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Effects of Enhancement Solution pH on Fresh and Cooked Color of Dark-Cutting Beef"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Owens, Casey M.","Seideman, Steven C."],"dc:contributor.advisor":["Apple, Jason K."],"dc:creator":["Stackhouse, Ryan"],"dc:date":["2016"],"dc:date.available":["2017-09-29T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["In two experiments, dark-cutting (DC) beef strip loins were used to test the effects of citric acid-enhancement pH on visual and instrumental color of fresh and cooked steaks. Dark cutting and normal pH strip loin were injected to 111% of raw product weight with pH 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, or 5.0 solutions by mixing citric acid in either 0.05% phosphate solution or tap water (Exp 1), or with pH 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 solutions made by mixing citric acid in either a 0.5% orthophosphate solution (PO4) or a 0.5% tripolyphosphate solution (STP) (Exp2). Loin sections were cut into 2.5-cm-thick steaks and assigned to either simulated retail display for five days or cooked. Post-enhancement pH of enhanced DC steaks did not (P ≥ 0.180) differ from that of non-enhanced DC steaks, regardless of solution pH (Exp 1); however, decreased linearly (P < 0.001) as solution pH decreased from 3.5 to 2.0, and the proportions of free and bound moisture of DC steaks enhanced with pH 2.5 solution were comparable (P ≥ 0.141) to that of CH (Exp 2). On d 1 and 3 of display, fresh color scores of enhanced DC steaks were greater (P < 0.001) than untreated DC (Exp 1), but color scores of CH steaks were greater (P < 0.001) than enhanced DC steaks (Exp 1 and 2). Conversely, in experiment 1, degree of doneness scores increased linearly (indicating greater doneness; P = 0.032) as solution pH increased from 3.5 to 5.0, and steaks enhanced with pH 4.0 and 4.5 solutions received lower (more red; quadratic, P = 0.012) cooked color scores than non-enhanced DC steaks, but neither score was comparable (P < 0.001) to those for CH steaks. While in experiment 2 enhancing DC sections with pH 2.5 solutions produced cooked color and degree of doneness scores that were similar (P ≥ 0.113) to non-enhanced CH steaks. Thus, enhancement with pH 2.5 citric acid solutions can effectively eliminate the persistent red cooked color typically associated with DC beef; however, citric acid enhancement failed to improve the fresh color of DC beef comparable to that of CH beef.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1752"],"dc:subject":["Biological sciences","Citric acid enhancement","Color","Dark-cutting beef","Meat Science"],"dc:title":["Effects of Enhancement Solution pH on Fresh and Cooked Color of Dark-Cutting Beef"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Animal Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T00:59:24Z"}