Several agri-food research centers in France have studied the general appreciation of beef by consumers. Among tenderness, juiciness and taste, the latter stands out as the sensory dimension that contributes the most to general appreciation (39%), followed by tenderness (31%) and juiciness (24%).
The improvement in meat tenderness in recent decades could explain why flavor stands out today as the sensory dimension most involved in overall appreciation, according to work published in Meat Science. Juiciness seems to be the least decisive factor although its rating is possibly influenced by the other dimensions.
The flavor and aroma combine to produce the sensation that the consumer experiences when eating. This sensation comes from the smell that penetrates through the nose and the salty, sweet, sour and bitter taste that is perceived in the mouth. The type of animal species, diet, cooking method and preservation method (for example, smoked or cured) affects the flavor of the meat.
