title: Thawing of lamb loin chops in air and CO(2). Effect on colour and drip.
abstract: Colour retention and drip loss was assessed during retail display for chilled lamb chops displayed fresh or stored in CO(2) for 7 weeks before display, and for chops frozen for various times and thawed in air or CO(2). A sensory panel found fresh lamb chops to have an acceptable display life of 1 day, while chops which had been frozen for 1 day and then thawed lasted 2 days. Holding chops for 7 weeks in a CO(2) atmosphere at - 1·5°C improved display life to 3 days, but frozen chops held for 7 weeks before thawing had deteriorated in colour, and only one group was acceptable on the initial day of display. Initially there were no differences in Hunter L values (brightness) due to treatment, but chilled chops or those frozen for 1 day showed a greater increase in L values by the second day than those frozen for 7 weeks, after which there was no change in brightness. Hunter a values (redness) were higher in chilled chops and those thawed after 1 day's frozen storage than those frozen for 7 weeks before thawing. Hunter b values (yellowness) were greater at all times in chilled chops held for 7 weeks and varied amongst the other treatments. The measured per cent drip from chops frozen for only 1 day was greater on thawing than drip from chops frozen for 7 weeks before thawing. Drip during display, assessed by a sensory panel, increased more in those chops stored either chilled or frozen for 7 weeks before display.
authors: Meat Industry Research Institute of New Zealand (Inc.), PO Box 617, Hamilton, New Zealand.
authors: V J
authors: VJ
authors: Moore