Consumer acceptance of display packs of beef stored under N(2) or CO(2) in master packs

Display-packaged samples of beef steak and of ground beef were delivered to the homes of 120 panelists. Each panelist received a set of samples of each meat. Each set consisted of one sample freshly prepared for retail display from vacuum-packaged product, one retail-packaged and then stored in a master pack under N(2) and one retail-packaged and the stored under CO(2). The samples in each set were prepared from the same strip loin or batch of coarsely ground beef and had been stored for between 21 and 23 days at 2°C. The panelists completed questionnaires on the attributes of the meats while they were packaged, when they were unpackaged for cooking, and when they were eaten. The responses to each question were tabulated, and the probability of the χ(2) statistics was calculated for each table. There were no significant differences in the general acceptability of the steaks from the three storage treatments. Significant numbers of panelists judged that ground beef prepared from vacuum-packaged product was of better colour and had less exudate, but was of poorer eating quality than the product from master packs. However, the majority of panelists did not distinguish between ground beef from the three storage treatments. The consumer responses indicate that controlled-atmosphere master packaging of display packs may offer a means of preserving display-ready beef for times that would allow wide distribution of the product through current commercial systems.