Quality Parameters on Beef Steaks and Ground Beef Using Thermoforming Vacuum Packaging

Abstract

Meat surface color is a critical attribute influencing consumer purchasing decisions, as it serves as a visual indicator of product freshness and wholesomeness. Changes in surface color during retail display periods can significantly affect consumer intent to purchase. Vacuum packaging, traditionally utilized for extended storage of meat products, is increasingly employed alongside freezing to mitigate meat quality deterioration. This document is comprised of three studies focused on the effect of thermoforming vacuum packaging on the shelf life of beef steaks Longissimus dorsi (L.D.) and ground beef on the surface color and overall quality during storage display. The effect of three different thermoforming vacuum packaging films on bloom development in beef steaks transitioning from frozen to fresh conditions was evaluated through this surface color measurements taken every 4 hours during simulated retail display. Revealed that steak color became lighter, redder, and more yellow as bloom time increased (p < 0.05). Spectral values, including chroma, red-to-brown ratio, and deoxymyoglobin values, also increased significantly with bloom time (p < 0.05), suggesting that this type of packaging positively impacts surface color during the initial 8 hours post-thawing. The second study focused on beef steaks packaged in VPA (250 µ nylon/EVOH/enhanced polyethylene coextrusion) film remained lighter and redder over time (p < 0.05), while those in VPB (250 µ nylon/EVOH/enhanced polyethylene coextrusion) and VPC (125 µ nylon/EVOH/enhanced polyethylene coextrusion) films darkened. Yellowness, hue angle, and chroma values were highest in steaks stored in VPC film (p < 0.05). Additionally, steaks in VPC films showed greater levels of metmyoglobin and oxymyoglobin and lower deoxymyoglobin (p < 0.05). Lipid oxidation, although influenced by packaging treatment, was more significantly affected by storage time, which also impacted purge loss, cook loss, and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) (p < 0.05). The study findings suggest that vacuum packaging is viable for extended storage of beef steaks beyond 60 days, with varying effects based on packaging type. Lastly, ground beef stored at frozen temperatures prior to refrigerated display period using three different thermoforming vacuum packaging was not associate with significant differences in lipid oxidation among the packaging treatments (p = 0.0744). However, oxidation levels increased throughout the storage period (p < 0.0001). Additional surface color including lightness, redness, yellowness, hue angle, and myoglobin redox forms. Packaging treatment and storage day significantly influenced by both packaging treatment and storage duration (p < 0.05). The interaction of treatment and storage day also impacted on chroma, Delta E, and the ratio a*:b* (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that thermoforming vacuum packaging can effectively reduce the rate of color and oxidative deterioration in ground beef during extended storage and display, thereby enhancing product quality and shelf-life.