Retail Display Conditions Research Articles

Effect of Aging and Retail Display Conditions on the Color and Oxidant/Antioxidant Status of Beef from Steers Finished with DG-Supplemented Diets.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of finishing diets including distiller grains (DG) on color and oxidative stability of beef after being exposed to aerobic retail display conditions, with or without previous aging. For this purpose, beef samples from animals fed with finishing diets including 0%, 15%, 30%, and 45% DG (on a dry matter basis), which had been exposed to aerobic retail display conditions, with or without previous aging under vacuum packaging, were evaluated. The content of γ-tocopherol, β-carotene, and lutein in diet samples increased with the level of DG. Beef evaluated at 72 h post-mortem showed greater content of γ-tocopherol and retinol as the DG level increased. Meat color was not affected by DG inclusion, but color parameters decreased with retail conditions. Meat from animals fed with DG showed the lowest values of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), independently of the retail display conditions. However, all samples were below the threshold associated with rancid aromas and above the a* value related to meat color acceptance. Thus, feeding diets including up to 45% of DG improved the antioxidant status of meat, preserving the color, and delaying lipid oxidation in meat samples under the display conditions evaluated.

Effect of Different Combinations of Freezing and Thawing Rates on the Shelf-Life and Oxidative Stability of Ostrich Moon Steaks (M. Femorotibialis medius) under Retail Display Conditions.

The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between different rates of freezing and thawing on whole ostrich moon steaks to establish a combination or singular main effect that minimises thaw loss and maximises the retail display shelf-life regarding moisture loss, colour, lipid oxidation and tenderness. Five characteristic freezing rates (FR: 1, 2, 4, 8, 24 h) were compared with five characteristic thawing rates (TR: 1.5, 3, 6.5, 14, 21 h) in a completely randomised block design. Moon steaks (M. femorotibialis medius) from 125 birds were randomly assigned to a specific treatment combination before being subjected (after thawing) to a 10-day chilled storage at 4 °C shelf-life trial. Thawing rate had no effect (p > 0.05) on any of the quality (colour, drip and cooking losses, shear force, 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBARS)) parameters whilst freezing rate and display time both had significant (p < 0.05) influences. Thaw loss was lowest (p < 0.05) for the FR_1h and FR_2h, followed by FR_4h, FR_8h and FR_24. The FR_1h had the highest (p < 0.05) drip and shear force values during display while the FR_2h and FR_8h had the highest rate of oxidation (TBARS and metmyoglobin formation). FR_24h had the second best (p < 0.05) colour retention after FR_4h and minimal package drip. Overall, FR_4h resulted in the best quality meat over the entire shelf-life with high bloom retention, low TBARS and shear force, and average thaw, drip and cooking loss.

Effect of the incorporation of a fermented rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) extract in the manufacturing of rabbit meat patties on their physical, chemical, and sensory quality during refrigerated storage

In the present study, rabbit meat patties were formulated with increasing incorporation levels of a fermented rooibos extract (Aspalathus linearis; R): Control (C), R1, R2 and R3 (0, 0.5, 1, 2% w/w R inclusion, respectively). Meat patties were subjected to a 7-day refrigerated storage trial, simulating retail display conditions. At day 0, 1, 3 and 6 of storage, patties drip loss, pH, L*a*b* colour traits (raw patties) and peroxide value (cooked patties) were analysed; at days 0 and 6, total volatile basic nitrogen (raw patties), fatty acid profile and sensory traits (cooked patties) were analysed. Increasing R incorporation levels lowered pH values of rabbit meat patties and increased their redness and yellowness indexes compared to the C group (P < 0.0001). R-treated cooked patties were protected from lipid oxidation compared to C ones (P < 0.0001), and this status was maintained up to the end of the trial. R1 rabbit meat patties showed sensory traits comparable to the C group, whereas R2 and R3 treatments provided negative outcomes. Based on the above-mentioned findings, rooibos can be considered a promising natural additive in the manufacturing of rabbit meat patties, up to the 0.5% incorporation level.

Resting of MAP (modified atmosphere packed) beef steaks prior to cooking and effects on consumer quality

This study investigated the meat preparation effects prior to cooking on the sensory consumer quality of modified atmosphere (MA) packed (100ml CO2/100ml pack gas, 50ml O2:20ml CO2:30ml N2/100ml pack gas, 70ml O2:30ml CO2/100ml pack gas and 80ml O2:20ml CO2/100ml pack gas) striploin beef steak. Beef steaks were stored at 4°C for 7days (616lx) to simulate retail display conditions and tested by consumers (n=40) for appearance, liking of flavour, overall acceptability, juiciness, tenderness, oxidation flavour, off-flavour, and sourness of the resulting cooked meat. Additionally, TVC, pH, colour, drip loss, and cooking loss were measured. One steak from each of the experimental treatments was taken immediately from the respective MA packs and cooked before serving straight to consumers. A second steak from each pack was treated similarly, but left in ambient air for 30min prior to cooking and serving. Consumers perceived cooked steak from samples left for 30min prior to cooking as significantly (P<0.05) less sour tasting than those cooked immediately.

Master packaging system for sweet persimmon applicable to produce supply chains

Modified-atmosphere-packaged sweet persimmons experience significant quality loss due to temperature fluctuations in the food supply chain, which cause an imbalance between respiration and package gas permeation. This imbalance results in the package atmosphere deviating from the tolerable range. In this study, a master packaging system was designed to maintain a suitable modified atmosphere around the fruit during pre-sale chilled storage and during retail display to preserve freshness. A 50-μm-thick low-density polyethylene (LDPE) outer liner bag containing 46 individual fruit packages (30-μm-thick oriented polypropylene (OPP) film bag with a micro-perforation of about 60μm) was placed within a corrugated paperboard box. Master packaging systems with and without the absorbent sachets were stored for 122d at 0°C and were periodically opened to remove and store the individual primary package units for 10d at 10°C to simulate retail display conditions. The master packaging systems were compared to 10-kg bulk packages containing individual fruit inside a 50-μm-thick LDPE film bag in terms of package atmosphere and fruit quality. Individual fruit packages consisting only of 30-μm-thick, micro-perforated OPP films without an outer liner bag were subjected to the pre-sale 0°C storage for comparison. The master packaging systems maintained an atmosphere with O2 concentrations of 0.8–3.9% and CO2 concentrations of 8.4–15.0% around the fruit during storage at 0°C and during display at 10°C. The high-temperature retail display, after chilled storage at 0°C, resulted in a drastic decline in quality, even with some alleviation offered by the master packaging system. The overall benefits were reduced weight loss, reduced physiological deterioration (e.g., flesh softening and surface blackening) and better retention of firmness and ascorbic acid during the chilled storage and/or the display conditions.

Modified atmosphere packaging for mixed loads of horticultural commodities exposed to two postharvest temperatures

A procedure to maintain desired levels of O2 and CO2 inside packages that are exposed to different surrounding temperatures was designed and tested. This procedure included the design of packages for a high temperature, ambient atmosphere conditions simulating retail display conditions and the use of a controlled atmosphere (CA) environment surrounding the packages at a lower temperature simulating storage or transport conditions. To test the concept, strawberries and snap beans were held at 7°C for 4 days and 19°C for 2 days to simulate mixed storage:transport and retail display at these respective temperatures. The strawberries were stored in jars fitted with a short tube to modify the interior atmosphere; snap beans were stored in commercially available, semipermeable plastic bags. Both package types were placed in a CA of 14.8% O2 plus 8.3% CO2 at 7°C followed by storage in air at 19°C. Under these conditions, it was possible to maintain atmospheres that were close to the desired atmospheres for the products at both temperatures. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.