At the point of purchase, consumers often use extrinsic cues such as color, marbling, leanness, packaging, and price to determine which meat product(s) to buy. The value placed on such cues may vary regionally or even be influenced by the demographic characteristics of the consumer. Tenderness, juiciness, and flavor remain the three pillars of cooked meat palatability, all linked to consumer satisfaction. Historically, tenderness has been the single most important factor affecting beef palatability, yet previous work has shown that flavor becomes the most important aspect of eating satisfaction when tenderness is acceptable. Consumers can distinguish marbling and consequently flavor differences in some muscles, and are willing to pay premiums for the type of flavor they prefer. Several consumer studies over the past two decades have collectively shown that consumer overall acceptability ratings are more highly correlated with flavor ratings than tenderness or juiciness ratings in beef and lamb. However, the role of flavor in the acceptability of muscles from primals other than the rib or loin is not entirely clear. Moreover, consumer acceptance of and preference for flavor potentially shifts when dealing with value-added or processed meats as opposed to fresh meats. This Special Issue includes 12 valuable scientific contributions, including one review article and 11 original research articles, focusing on antemortem and postmortem factors that influence the sensory acceptability of meat products across the major red meat species of beef, lamb, and pork.
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