Combined Effects of Modified Atmosphere Packaging and Organic Acid Salts (Sodium Acetate and Calcium Lactate) on the Quality and Shelf-life of Hanwoo Ground Beef Patties

Abstract

The present study investigated the combined effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and organic acid salts on the quality and shelf-life of Hanwoo ground beef patties. The ground beef containing 500 ppm of ascorbic acid was prepared with air-packaging (Air-P), high oxygen-MAP (70% O + 30% CO /OxyMAP), and nitrogen-MAP (100% N /NitroMAP), in combination with organic acid salts (1500 ppm of sodium acetate and 500 ppm of calcium lactate). The samples were stored for 11 d at 5 C. The pH value of ground beef patties decreased during storage in all the treatments. The ground beef patties with organic acid salts showed relatively higher level of pH during storage compared with non-added patties (p<0.05). Lipid oxidation was accelerated in OxyMAP while it was delayed in NitroMAP treated with organic acid salts. Nitro-MAP treated with organic acid salts was effective in stabilizing the color characteristics of lightness (CIE L*) and redness (CIE a*) during storage. Oxygen content in MAP was shown to be a more important factor affecting color stability and lipid oxidation of ground beef than organic acid salts. The aerobic and anaerobic bacterial counts were reduced both in OxyMAP and NitroMAP (p<0.05), and the lactic acid bacteria was inhibited by Oxy-MAP (p<0.05). Coliform bacteria decreased during storage as pH value was decreased in all treatments. According to the sensory evaluation, the ground beef patties in NitroMAP showed the best quality among all treatments during storage. Therefore, Hanwoo ground beef patties added with sodium acetate and calcium lactate and packed with NitroMAP showed better quality characteristics than other treatments. This packaging method is recommended and could be utilized for packaging hanwoo ground beef patties for improving quality and extending shelf-life.