Effects of intramuscular free fatty acids on the response of taste buds and taste-traits of marbled beef

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K08007
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Animal production science
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Yamanoue Minoru 神戸大学, 農学研究科, 准教授 (30182596)
• Research Collaborator: Ueda Syuji ; Takaoka Motoko ; Habara Masaaki ; Ikezaki Hidekazu
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 牛肉の美味しさ / 筋内脂肪 / 遊離脂肪酸 / 味細胞 / カルシウムイメージング / 黒毛和種牛

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Relationship between intramuscular fat and taste-traits of Japanese Black Wagyu beef which is well known as “marbling” and delicious beef was clarified in terms of the amounts of intramuscular free fatty acid (FFA). The amounts of FFA in beef broth prepared from Japanese Black Wagyu beef stored at 4℃ increased during postmortem aging, but not so in Holstein beef broth. As the results of estimation of taste-traits of broth sample by an electronic taste sensing system, some taste elements like acid bitterness showed high values and increased with postmortem time, indicating that increased FFA was possible to affect taste-traits of broth sample of Japanese Black Wagyu beef. Carrying out of Ca2+-imaging method are successively challenged in order to detect whether FFAs stimulate to taste cells prepared from mouse taste bud, and thereby possibly influence taste-traits of beef broth.

Free Research Field

畜産物利用

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

学術的には、FFAが基本味として味細胞に作用するのか、あるいは甘味や旨味等の呈味物質と協同して呈味に影響する可能性も考えられ、味覚におけるFFAの受容機構解明において本研究の貢献が期待できると考えられる。一方社会的には、牛肉脂肪の脂肪酸組成は飼養方法で容易に改変できるため、牛肉の呈味へのFFAの影響を明らかにする本研究は優れた呈味性を示す牛肉の生産に指針を与えることができる。またFFAの質および量に基づく牛肉の呈味性評価法を確立できれば、例えば脂肪交雑の程度が同じ牛肉間の美味しさの違いの理由や高品質牛肉としての商品表示を可能にし、より良い牛肉の生産や開発につながると考えている。