Product attributes Flavour Flavour is a complex sensation involving odour, taste, temperature and pH. Of these, odour is the most important which, along with taste and tenderness, is also the most difficult to define objectively. Odour and taste in foodstuffs are important both aesthetically and physiologically for, if pleasant, they stimulate the secretion of digestive juices. Flavour is also adversely affected during storage in the frozen condition and where possible the freezing of meat should be avoided. Strength of flavour in beef tends to increase in cattle up to 18 months of age and thereafter it reaches a plateau. This explains why veal, which is on the lower end of the age scale has a lower strength of flavour.
Similar patterns apply to all other species.
All carcasses are properly conditioned and matured. The taste of the product is also affected by its fat and chemical composition which is influenced by a number of aspects including the natural feeds and grazing types that make up the animal's diet. Tenderness and Texture Of all the attributes of eating quality, texture and tenderness are rated most important by the average consumer and these appear to be sought at the expense of flavour and meat colour. They too are of the most difficult to define objectively. Whilst age and breed influence baseline tenderness, other controllable factors at the plant play a much more important role in ensuring tenderness.