Influence of Gas Mixture on Quality and Shelf Life of Veal Calf Meat

Abstract

The paper investigates the effect of two different gas mixtures on chemical, physical and microbiological quality of veal meat packed in modified atmosphere during chill storage. Experimental gas atmospheres tested were O246 (46% O2, 31% N2 and 23% CO2) and O270 (70% O2, 8% N2 and 22% CO2). Samples were stored at 4°C for 14 days and tested at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 days after packaging. The different O2 concentration influenced many parameters. Lower O2 concentration showed a greater increase of a* values (P<0.01) from the 2nd to the 8th packaging day, and a lower increase in drip loss values, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and protein oxidation (P<0.001). Total aerobic mesophilic and psychrophilic count showed a gradual increase in bacterial load over storage time in both the experimental treatments. Results obtained showed that O246 is better than O270 in calf meat packaging because of a belated decline of meat quality, particularly about oxidative parameters.