Effect of packaging method and storage temperature on quality properties of cold-dried beef slices

Abstract

The chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) and atmospheric packaged (AP) cold-dried beef slices (10 °C at 3 m/s after steam pasteurization) were investigated to determine the storage stability at 4 and 25 °C, over 90 days. With increasing storage temperature and time, the CO2 in the MAP samples decreased while the CO2 in the AP samples increased. The water activity of beef slices decreased from 0.91 to 0.88 during storage. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, non-protein nitrogen, and pH were higher in the AP than MAP samples, and all three parameters increased (from 25.25 to 60.11 μmol malondialdehyde/kg, 4.37–6.66 g/100 g, and 5.68 to 5.93, respectively) during storage. MAP samples presented the best microbiological quality and, at low-temperature storage, the highest sensory quality. The shelf lives were 90 days/4 °C and 75 days/25 °C for MAP vs. 60 days/4 °C and 45 days/25 °C for AP.