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Antioxidant and modified atmosphere packaging prevention of discoloration in pork bones during retail display
C Nicolalde1, A J Stetzer, E M Tucker
1Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, 202 Agricultural Bioprocess Laboratory, 1302 West Pennsylvania Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, United States.
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of antioxidants to prevent discoloration in pork rib bones. Pork rib bones were removed from carcasses, frozen (-20°C, 24h), split lengthwise, exposed to antioxidant solutions (ascorbic acid, citric acid, propyl gallate or ascorbic/EDTA mix), packaged (modified atmosphere [80% O(2) and 20% CO(2)] or air), then displayed in a retail case at 4°C for 8days. Dark pigment formation was visually evaluated during the display period. Instrumental color was determined at the end of the 8-day display period. Visual bone discoloration increased over time for all treatments. After 2days of display, samples treated with propyl gallate were visually redder, less discolored and less green/black than samples treated with other antioxidants. After 8days of display, propyl gallate-treated samples had higher a* and b* values, as well as chroma (intensity). However, this difference was no longer large enough to be visually detected.
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