title: Effect of carbon monoxide packaging and lactate enhancement on the color stability of beef steaks stored at 1°C for 9 days.
abstract: Our objective was to assess the effects of lactate enhancement in combination with different packaging systems on beef longissimus lumborum and psoas major steak color. Strip loins and tenderloins (n=16) were assigned to one of four injection treatments (non-injected control, water-injected control, 1.25%, and 2.5% lactate in the finished product). Steaks were individually packaged in either vacuum, high-oxygen (80% O(2)/20% CO(2)), or 0.4% CO (30% CO(2)/69.6% N(2)) and stored for either 0, 5, or 9 days at 1°C. The L(∗) and a(∗) values of both the longissimus and psoas responded similarly to lactate, which at 2.5% darkened steaks (P<0.05) packaged in all atmospheres and improved (P<0.05) the redness of steaks packaged in high-oxygen. Packaging steaks in CO did not counteract the darkening effects of lactate. Nevertheless, CO improved (P<0.05) color stability compared with high-oxygen packaging.
authors: Department of Animal Science, University of Connecticut, 3636 Horsebarn Hill Road Extension Unit 4040, Storrs, CT 06269-4040, United States.
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Mancini
authors: S P
authors: SP
authors: Suman
authors: M K R
authors: MK
authors: Konda
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Ramanathan