Even though postmortem aging has been widely accepted as the predominant technique for improving the tenderness and overall eating experience of beef, retailers are hesitant to age beef for extended time periods prior to placing it in the retail case because product “freshness” is reduced and a shorter display life may be realized.
With the ability to confidently utilize extended aging periods to ensure tenderness, companies supplying beef to retailers should experience fewer claims and account for greater customer satisfaction with beef. This research was intended to clarify the effects of extended postmortem aging periods on beef in the retail sector to provide a recommended aging time for strip loins and sirloin steaks.