title: An investigation of the effect of rapid slurry chilling on blown pack spoilage of vacuum-packaged beef primals.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate if rapid slurry chilling would retard or prevent blown pack spoilage (BPS) of vacuum-packaged beef primals. Beef primals were inoculated with Clostridium estertheticum subspp. estertheticum (DSMZ 8809), C. estertheticum subspp. laramenise (DSMZ 14864) and C. gasigenes (DSMZ 12272), and vacuum-packaged with and without heat shrinkage (90°C for 3 s). These packs were then subjected to immediate chilling in an ice slurry or using conventional blast chilling systems and stored at 2°C for up to 100 days. The onset and progress of BPS was monitored using the following scale; 0-no gas bubbles in drip; 1-gas bubbles in drip; 2-loss of vacuum; 3-'blown'; 4-presence of sufficient gas inside the packs to produce pack distension and 5-tightly stretched, 'overblown' packs/packs leaking. Rapid slurry chilling (as compared to conventional chilling) did not significantly affect (P > 0.05) the time to the onset or progress of BPS. It was therefore concluded that rapid chilling of vacuum-packaged beef primals, using an ice slurry system, may not be used as a control intervention to prevent or retard blown pack spoilage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study adds to our growing understanding of blown pack spoilage of vacuum-packaged beef primals and suggests that rapid chilling of vacuum-packaged beef primals is not a control option for the beef industry. The results suggest that neither eliminating the heat shrinkage step nor rapid chilling of vacuum-packaged beef retard the time to blown pack spoilage.
authors.affiliation: Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin 15, Ireland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fanning
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Whyte
authors.affiliation: University College Cork, College Road, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kerry
authors.affiliation: Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin 15, Ireland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bolton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003013:Clostridium / Q000254:growth & development*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000379:methods*; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D012034:Refrigeration / Q000379:methods*; D014618:Vacuum
keywords: 
  Clostridium estertheticum
  ; 
  Clostridium gasigenes
  ; beef; blown pack spoilage; rapid chilling; spoilage