Retail colour stability of lamb meat is influenced by breed type, muscle, packaging and iron concentration
R D Warner1, G Kearney2, D L Hopkins3
1Cooperative Animal Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, CJ Hawkins Homestead Building, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; Future Farming Research Division, Department of Primary Industries, 600 Sneydes Rd, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia; Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
Abstract:
The longissmus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles from 391 lamb carcasses, derived from various breed types, were used to investigate the effect of animal/muscle factors, packaging type [over-wrap (OW) or high oxygen modified atmosphere packaging (MAPO2)] and duration of display on redness of meat during simulated retail display. Using statistical models the time required (in days) for redness to reach a threshold value of 3.5 (below this is unacceptable) was predicted. High levels of iron in the SM, but not LL, reduced the time for redness to reach 3.5 by 2-2.6days in MAPO2 and 0.5-0.8days in OW. The greater the proportion of Merino breed type, the shorter was the time for redness to reach the value of 3.5, an effect consistent across muscles and packaging types. In summary, breed type, packaging format, muscle and muscle iron levels had a significant impact on colour stability of sheep meat in oxygen-available packaging systems.
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