Effect of cooking temperatures on meat quality, protein carbonylation and protein cross-linking of beef packed in high oxygen atmosphere

Abstract

the present study aimed to examine the effects of cooking temperatures on meat quality, protein carbonylation and protein cross-linking of fresh beef with different packaging methods. Steaks from beef tenderloins were packed in vacuum or high oxygen modified atmosphere (MAP), and stored for 10 days at 4 °C. After storage, steaks were cooked to different internal temperatures (52, 62, 72 °C). In general, when cooked to higher temperature, MAP packed beef had higher cooking loss, larger values of shear force and smaller values of redness than vacuum packed beef. Meanwhile, increasing cooking temperature generally caused more formation of protein carbonyls - α-aminoadipic semialdehyde (AAS) and protein cross-links - lysinonorleucine (LNL), and high oxygen MAP was found to intensify their formations. Increased protein carbonylation via AAS formation and protein cross-linking via the LNL formation seemed to play an important role in quality deterioration of high oxygen MAP packed beef.