# Effects of Oleic Acid and Intramuscular Fat Levels on Retronasal Aromas in Wagyu Beef from Japanese Black Cattle

## TL;DR

This study shows how fat and oleic acid levels in Wagyu beef affect its aroma, with higher oleic acid improving sweet and beefy aromas, especially when fat levels are low.

## Contribution

The study introduces an oleic acid index that explains aroma variation in Wagyu beef based on intramuscular fat and oleic acid levels.

## Key findings

- Sweet and Wagyu beef aromas are stronger with higher oleic acid in low intramuscular fat beef.
- The effect of oleic acid on aroma is minimal in beef with high intramuscular fat.
- The oleic acid index correlates well with aroma intensity across different fat levels.

## Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of various levels of intramuscular fat (IMF) and oleic acid (C18:1 cis-9) on retronasal aromas in Wagyu beef. Muscle samples were collected from 167 carcasses of Japanese Black. The chemical compositions were analyzed, and the cooked beef was evaluated by a trained sensory panel. Tenderness, juiciness, and fatty aroma were mainly related to the IMF content. Both sweet and Wagyu beef aromas were affected by the oleic acid and IMF contents. In marbled beef with low IMF content, both sweet and Wagyu beef aromas were stronger as the oleic acid composition increased (r = 0.401, 0.376); however, their relationships were weaker at the moderate IMF content (r = 0.278, 0.273). The effect of oleic acid on these aromas was hardly observed in beef with high IMF content (r = 0.030, 0.011). The oleic acid index [IMF content (%) × oleic acid composition (%)/100] could be fitted to the logarithmic curve for all the aromas determined (r = 0.526 to 0.565). These results indicated that the higher oleic acid composition could be better for the favorable aromas of Wagyu beef; however, the effect differs depending on the IMF content levels, and the phenomenon is relatively well explained by the oleic acid index.