Effect of packaging and storage conditions on some quality traits of bovine meat

Abstract

Packaging is considered one of the most interesting technological aspects of food production and is a constantly evolving subject in food production. The type of packaging is important for the quality and safety of the product and for the visual appearance of the product to be immediately evaluated by consumers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of four different types of modified atmosphere packaging (ATM) and vacuum packaging (VP) currently used by a company in central Italy, on the main qualitative characteristics of beef. For these two traditional and two new solutions with reduced environmental impact and compostable were evaluated. For each type of packaging, two different products were analyzed: steaks and hamburgers. The samples, immediately after production, were transported to the laboratory in refrigerated containers. Several parameters (color, pH, water holding capacity, drip loss, and microbiological characteristics) were evaluated at time 0 and after 7 (T7), 14 (T14) and 21 days (T21) of storage in the dark and at refrigeration temperature (+4°C . 2°C). The results showed that the two types of packaging have very similar effects on the water-retaining capacity of the steaks. More noticeable differences were recorded by the colorimetric analysis: for both steaks and hamburgers, the products packaged in the traditional packaging appeared brighter and redder than those packaged in the new alternatives. The microbiological analysis of the steaks showed higher values in the “new” packaging. The formation of abundant ropy slime was observed in one of the samples in the “new” modified atmosphere package at T21. The results of this study showed that the technological characteristics (in particular, the color) and the microbiological characteristics of the steaks and hamburgers were better in “old” packaging, with a better appearance and a longer shelf life. The results obtained show how the research for eco-sustainable products for packaging must be addressed, taking into account the effect of the materials on the qualitative and hygienic-sanitary characteristics of the meat.

Volatile Compound Markers in Beef Irradiated with Accelerated Electrons

“…While ionizing irradiation of frozen foods or foods containing preservatives or antioxidants is effective for a wide range of meat and fish as it significantly increases the shelf life of products [ 2 , 3 ], chilled meat and fish irradiation requires a special approach to selecting technological parameters, since intensive bacterial activity [ 4 ] and auto-oxidation [ 5 ] in these foods trigger significant physical and chemical changes during storage. Moreover, the intensity of biochemical processes occurring in chilled products during storage depends not only on the irradiation parameters, such as type of irradiation [ 6 , 7 ], irradiation dose [ 6 , 8 ], dose rate [ 7 ], and uniformity of absorbed dose distribution [ 9 ], but also on the initial concentration and spatial distribution of bacteria [ 10 ], types of microorganisms in the product [ 7 ], concentration of proteins and carbohydrates [ 11 ] actively consumed by microorganisms, storage temperature [ 12 ], pH values [ 13 ], and packaging type [ 14 ]. Thus, the effective dose range for chilled meat and fish, which is determined both by meat and fish properties as well as the technological regime of irradiation and storage, has to be established bearing in mind that the lower limit of the dose range would sufficiently suppress microorganisms and the upper limit would not lead to irreversible physical and chemical changes in the products [ 15 ].…”

Effect of a Chitosan-Based Packaging Material on the Domestic Storage of “Ready-to-Cook” Meat Products: Evaluation of Biogenic Amines Production, Phthalates Migration, and In Vitro Antimicrobic Activity’s Impact on Aspergillus Niger

“…These products are often sold in more economically advantageous "family packs" to be consumed within a short time after opening. Among these, a significant portion is based on meat, a perishable food whose shelf life depends on many variables such as microbial growth, enzymatic activity, oxidation processes, and package type [1]. This makes processing methods and protective packaging [2,3] that preserve quality for a long time highly necessary.…”