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Color stability and reversion in carbon monoxide packaged ground beef
Jong Youn Jeong1, James R Claus
1Meat Science and Muscle Biology Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI 53706, USA.
Meat Science
|April 27, 2010
Summary
Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure enhances red meat color, but this effect diminishes after packaging. Longer CO exposure provides a slight, temporary color advantage for ground beef display.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Meat Science
- Color Chemistry
Background:
- Maintaining desirable red meat color during retail display is crucial for consumer acceptance.
- Carbon monoxide (CO) has been explored as a method to improve and stabilize meat color.
- Understanding the long-term color stability and reversion of CO-treated meat is essential for its commercial application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of varying carbon monoxide (CO) exposure durations on the color stability of ground beef.
- To assess the color reversion of metmyoglobin to carboxymyoglobin in aged or low-oxygen packaged ground beef treated with CO.
- To determine the relationship between CO exposure length and carboxymyoglobin color loss during display.
Main Methods:
- Ground beef was exposed to carbon monoxide (CO) for 1, 2, 4, or 6 days.
- Color changes were monitored after repackaging in oxygen-permeable polyvinyl chloride (PVC) overwrap over 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours.
- The ability of CO to reverse the brown color of aged or low-oxygen modified ground beef was evaluated.
Main Results:
- Extended CO exposure duration led to increased initial redness in ground beef.
- Redness significantly decreased after packages were opened for display.
- Ground beef exposed to CO for 6 days retained only slightly higher redness than day 1 exposed beef after 72 hours.
- CO successfully converted brown metmyoglobin to red carboxymyoglobin in aged or low-oxygen induced ground beef.
Conclusions:
- While CO exposure enhances initial meat redness, the color benefit diminishes over time, especially after opening the package.
- CO can effectively reverse the brown color in aged or low-oxygen ground beef, forming carboxymyoglobin.
- The microbiological status of ground beef must be considered before CO packaging to ensure safety, despite its color reversion capabilities.
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