The effect of packaging on consumer eating quality of beef

This experiment examined 3 packaging systems: overwrap packaging using oxygen permeable film (OWP); vacuum skin packaging (VSP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP, 80%O₂ and 20%CO₂) on consumer sensory. Three primals from 48 carcasses were aged in vacuum packs for 5, 12 or 40 days. Steaks from longissimus lumborum, gluteus medius and psoas major muscles were packed in OWP, VSP and MAP for 9 days. Untrained consumers scored grilled steaks for tenderness, juiciness, liking of flavour and overall acceptability. Steaks in MAP had 10-12 points lower sensory scores (on a 100 point scale) compared to the OWP, or VSP systems (P < 0.001). The packaging effect was independent of days aging and muscle. It was concluded that high oxygen MAP has the potential to be included as an input variable in the Meat Standards Australia beef grading model. This would be contingent upon research into when the MAP effect occurred and the effect of using different gas mixtures on eating quality.