Salma Mohamad Yusop, Mohd Azri Azman, Premy Puspitawati Rahayu, Nurul Huda
Dry-aging is a controlled, unpackaged maturation process of beef that relies on low temperature, regulated humidity, and continuous airflow to concentrate flavor, enhance tenderness, and develop a distinctive sensory profile. This review consolidates current knowledge on the physical, biochemical, and microbiological mechanisms driving quality changes during dry-aging, and summarizes key processing parameters, safety considerations, and economic implications. Moisture evaporation and crust formation promote surface dehydration and weight loss, while endogenous proteases accelerate myofibrillar degradation, thereby reducing shear force and improving tenderness. Concurrent lipolysis increases free fatty acids, which, together with controlled oxidation, generate volatile compounds responsible for characteristic nutty and buttery flavor notes. Surface microbiota, predominantly composed of non-pathogenic yeasts and moulds, influence aroma development but require appropriate control to minimize pathogen risk. Microbial metabolic activity contributes to flavor formation through proteolysis and lipolysis; however, monitoring is necessary to limit biogenic amine accumulation and maintain meat quality and safety. Processing variables, including temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, and aging duration, determine proteolysis and oxidation kinetics, yield loss, and trimming requirements, ultimately affecting product quality and economic return. Evidence highlights the roles of marbling, carcass hygiene, and postmortem handling in shaping aging outcomes. Remaining gaps include standardized process reporting, multi-omics characterization of microbial communities, and predictive models linking processing factors to sensory and economic outputs. This review provides practical guidance for robust process control and identifies research priorities to support safe and cost-effective dry-aging practices in the beef industry. © 2026 Elsevier Ltd
Department of Food Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Bangi, 43600, Malaysia; Livestock Science Research Center, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Persiaran MARDI-UPM, Selangor, Serdang, 43400, Malaysia; Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Brawijaya, East Java, Malang, Indonesia; Postgraduate School, Universitas Brawijaya, East Java, Malang, Indonesia
