Survey of Quality Attributes of Beef from Farmers Market Vendors

Farmers Market steaks (n = 39 ribeyes, n = 39 top loins, and n = 38 top sirloins) were procured to establish a baseline for palatability characteristics and to compare consumer acceptance of retail steaks (n = 20 ribeyes, n = 20 top loins, and n = 20 top sirloins) to beef sold in niche markets. Palatability was evaluated using Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBS) and consumer sensory panels. No differences (P>0.05) were identified among Farmers Market steaks for WBS values nor between cuts for sensory panel ratings for Farmers Market or retail products. Overall liking and tenderness liking sensory panel ratings were lower (P=0.0493 and P=0.0058, respectively) for steaks from Farmers Markets when compared to retail. Farmers Market ribeyes and top loins were thicker (P=0.0107) than top sirloins. These results will help niche producers understand how their products compare to beef from traditional supermarkets and allow them to identify areas for improvement.