Research Progress on the Quality Formation Mechanism of Dry-Aged Meat

Dry-aging is the aerobic aging process where meat carcasses or primal cuts are hanged and aged for a period of time (28 to 55 days, or even longer) under specific environmental conditions of temperature (0–4 ℃), relative humidity (61%–85%), and air flow (0.5–2.0 m/s). Dry-aging in a breathable bag, dry-aging combined with ultraviolet irradiation treatment, and stepwise dry/wet-aging have been successively developed. Due to dehydration during dry-aging, the surface of meat shrinks to produce a hard ‘crust’, resulting in significant mass loss and trim loss. However, compared with wet-aging, dry-aging can significantly enhance meat flavor characteristics, imparting a strong ‘dry-aged flavor’ and unique roasted beef-like, roasted nutty and buttery aromas to aged meat. Dry-aging can be used effectively to improve the eating quality and economic value of low-marbled beef. In this paper, the key parameters of dry-aging are reviewed, the potential mechanism by which dry-aging improves meat quality, especially flavor, is discussed. Future prospects for the application and development of dry-aging are discussed as well. This review will provide theoretical support for the development of the meat industry and for exploring the market for high-quality meat.