Evaluation of the performance of osmotic dehydration sheets on freshness parameters in cold-stored beef biceps femoris muscle

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of osmotic dehydration sheet (ODS) packaging on the quality parameters of beef biceps femoris muscle samples stored at 4 °C for 0, 1, 3 and 7 days. Quality indices such as Hunter color values ( L ∗, a ∗ and b ∗, the percentage of metmyoglobin (Met-Mb%), K value (freshness index), and the contents of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-related compounds (ARCs), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA-RS) and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) were measured. ODS gave lower a ∗ and b ∗ values and lower Met-Mb% compared with control samples wrapped in polyvinylidene chloride film (PVDCF) ( P < 0.01), but had no effect on L ∗ ( P < 0.01). As a result, with higher levels of osmotic dehydration produced by the ODS, the percentage of weight loss and the total contents of ARCs and inosine monophosphate of the samples also increased ( P < 0.05). The K values of ODS samples were also significantly lower than PVDCF-wrapped samples ( P < 0.05). Low performance ODS wrapping reduced the TBA-RS values below those found with PVDCF and high performance ODS processing ( P < 0.01). Moreover, the use of ODS had no effect on VBN values. Thus, although the bright red of beef samples changed to a dark purple color and the weights of samples decreased, the ODS approach has potential as a tool for decreasing the deterioration of other quality indices such as Met-Mb%, TBA-RS, ARCs, K values and the VBN content of cold-stored beef.