Impact of vacuum packaging on color and odor in correlation to physicochemical and microbial characteristics of chilled beef during 50 days of refrigerated storage

Abstract

Although the production of vacuum-packed chilled beef has been increased significantly, many suppliers are still unfamiliar with how storage affects its quality. Sixty vacuum-packed refrigerated beef Longissimus dorsi samples were collected on the same day of packaging from a large meat processing facility in Egypt, and kept at 4°C for 10, 30, and 50 days post-packaging. The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in both color and odor in correlation with microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory qualities to determine the storage stability of vacuum-packed chilled beef. The results showed that all sensory characteristics were significantly impacted during storage. Unacceptable odors were reported, and the redness (a* values) dropped to 14.04. Furthermore, all the microbial populations under investigation increased, and the concentrations of volatile organic chemicals were elevated. Additionally, the purge loss increased, resulting in the loss of nutrients and the release of meat pigments in the package, which generally impacted on its visual impression. Overall, it has been concluded that the quality of vacuum-packed chilled beef needs to be improved, especially the color and odor problems, as well as the shelf life.