Impact of Breed and Slaughter Hygiene on Beef Carcass Quality Traits in Northern Greece

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The objective of this study was to assess the impact of breed and slaughter hygiene practices on beef quality traits in Northern Greece. A random sample of 159 beef carcasses from three breeds, Aberdeen Angus (AA, n = 38), Holstein (HO, n = 42), and Limousin (LI, n = 40), and crossbred (CR, n = 39) males were used. The chroma, pH, texture, chemical composition, and fatty acid profile were assessed using the Longissimus dorsi muscle. The muscle histomorphometry was assessed using the psoas major samples. Microbiological analyses were conducted on the beef carcasses to evaluate slaughter hygiene. A comparative analysis using ANOVA, Mann–Whitney, and Kruskal–Wallis tests was performed to assess the effects of breed and slaughter hygiene on the meat quality traits. The meat quality differed significantly (p < 0.05) between the breeds. Specifically, the LI beef exhibited higher lightness (L*) values compared to those of the AA and HO beef. The CR breed produced the reddest beef, which differed significantly from the AA and HO beef. The beef yellowness (b*) was higher in the AA breed compared to the other breeds. The AA and CR beef was more tender than the LI beef. The AA beef exhibited the lowest protein and highest fat content, while the LI beef was the leanest. The monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) concentrations in the AA beef were 22% higher than those in the HO beef, whereas the HO beef had 23% higher levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs). The total mesophilic viable counts among the slaughterhouses exceeded the lower acceptable threshold (3.5 log CFU/cm2), indicating inadequate slaughter hygiene practices that could impact beef quality and safety. Globally, this is the first comprehensive study that uniquely combines techniques for assessing beef quality from whole carcasses to individual muscle fibers.

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