Beef with high intramuscular fat (IMF) or high marbling is a premium product enjoyed by consumers for its unique sensory properties. The generally positive influence of IMF on meat palatability (tenderness, juiciness) is well known, however how marbling affects the flavour and other sensory attributes is less certain.

In this study, we examined the effects of marbling on the flavour and sensory properties of beef, and also the potential impacts of using different breeds (genotypes) and production (feed) systems.