Active packaging of chicken meats with modified atmosphere including oxygen scavengers

The effects of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP-70% CO₂/30%N₂) and iron-based oxygen scavengers (OS) with various absorption capacities (Ageless^® ss100, ss300, and ss500) as an active packaging system on microbiological and oxidative changes in chicken thigh meats were evaluated during refrigerated storage (4°C) for 19 d at 3-day intervals. Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria counts exceeded the acceptability limit at d 7 in the control group without MAP (AIR), and at d 19 in MAP and OS containing samples. OS utilization resulted in around 1.5 and 1.0 log unit reductions in Pseudomonas spp. counts at d 7 and d 10 of storage, respectively, as compared with AIR and MAP groups (P < 0.05). MAP and OS groups had fewer (P < 0.05) coliform counts than did the AIR group, with an approximately 1.0 log reduction observed at d 10. Although in some cases OS utilization resulted in lower TBARS values and carbonyl and sulphydryl contents, particularly during later stages of refrigerated storage as compared to AIR and MAP groups, in general, these effects were not always apparent. The results of this study suggested that MAP suppressed microbiological growth and retarded lipid and protein oxidation in chicken thigh meats, with a 9-day shelf-life extention with insignificant effects of OS.