Lipid oxidation and color changes in beef stored under different modified atmospheres

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze oxidative changes in lipids and the color parameters of beef stored for 7, 14, and 21 days under modified atmospheres (MA) (vacuum, 80% O2 + 20% CO2, 60% O2 + 30% CO2 + 10% N2, 40% CO2 + 60% N2, and 30% CO2 + 70% Ar). Lipids were more susceptible to oxidation during storage in MA containing 80% or 60% O2. Meat samples stored in vacuum packages and MA composed of 40% CO2 + 60% N2 and 30% CO2 + 70% Ar were characterized by minor oxidative changes in lipids. Beef stored in MA containing O2 was more prone to changes in color (decrease in redness, increase in the hue angle). Chroma values and saturation increased in meat samples stored in vacuum packages and MA containing Ar. Beef should be packaged under vacuum or MA containing Ar to minimize lipid oxidation and color changes. Practical applications Color is considered one of the most important quality attributes of meat. Consumers perceive color as an indicator of freshness, which affects their purchase decisions. Changes in meat color result from i.a. lipid oxidation, and their extent is determined by storage time and methods. When meat is stored under modified atmosphere (MA), the gas composition should minimize lipid oxidation and undesirable changes in color. The effect of argon (Ar)-based MA packaging on meat products remains insufficiently investigated. Therefore, MA procedures tested under laboratory conditions and applied in the food industry for preserving beef, and a gas mixture containing Ar, were analyzed in this study. The present findings indicate that Ar can minimize lipid oxidation and undesirable changes in meat color during storage, and they can be used to optimize the composition of gas mixtures for beef packaging.