The effect of retail packaging method on objective and consumer assessment of beef quality traits.
This study evaluated the effect of 7days of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP: 80% O2, 20% CO2) or skin packaging (no oxygen) of beef M. longissimus steaks after 1 or 7days of ageing in vacuum on objective and sensory meat quality traits and degradation of desmin. Shear force was negatively affected by MAP after both 1 and 7days of ageing in vacuum (P<0.005). Sensory evaluation of grilled steaks revealed significantly negative effects of MAP on sensory traits, resulting in an overall decrease of 8 points in the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) eating quality score (MQ4). Desmin degradation was not affected by packaging method, suggesting that the toughening effect of high-oxygen MAP is not due to inhibition of postmortem proteolysis. The results of this study and others suggest that packaging method should be incorporated as a variable in the MSA grading system. Further research to quantify the impact of oxidative cross-linking of proteins on tenderness appears warranted.
University of New England, School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. Electronic address: geert.geesink@une.edu.au.
Geert
G
Geesink
Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, UNE, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
Joanna
J
Robertson
Meat and Livestock Australia, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
Alex
A
Ball
D000388:Air; D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002417:Cattle; D003116:Color; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003893:Desmin / Q000378:metabolism*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D059748:Proteolysis; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013649:Taste; D014618:Vacuum
D003893:Desmin; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen
Beef; MAP; MSA; Sensory analysis