Vacuum Packaging Can Protect Ground Beef Color and Oxidation during Cold Storage

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Science
• Packaging Technology

Background:

• Thermoforming vacuum packaging is not a standard method for frozen ground beef before refrigerated display.
• Limited data exists on the interaction between thermoforming films and meat quality, necessitating further research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of different thermoforming packaging films on the surface color and lipid oxidation of ground beef.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of thermoforming vacuum packaging in preserving ground beef quality during frozen storage and refrigerated display.

Main Methods:

• Ground beef samples were packaged in three types of thermoforming films (150 µ, 175 µ, and 200 µ polyethylene/EVOH/polyethylene coextrusion).
• Samples underwent frozen storage (-20.83 °C for 21 days) followed by refrigerated display (3.0 °C for 42 days).
• Surface color (lightness, redness, yellowness, hue angle) and lipid oxidation were assessed throughout the storage period.

Main Results:

• While packaging treatment did not significantly affect overall lipid oxidation, oxidation increased over storage time.
• Both packaging treatment and storage duration significantly altered surface color parameters, including lightness, redness, yellowness, and myoglobin forms.
• An interaction between packaging treatment and storage day was observed for chroma, Delta E, and the a*:b* ratio, indicating nuanced effects on color stability.

Conclusions:

• Thermoforming vacuum packaging demonstrates potential in mitigating the deterioration of ground beef color.
• The packaging method appears to slow down the rate of lipid oxidation in ground beef under the tested conditions.
• Further research into specific film compositions and storage protocols could optimize thermoforming vacuum packaging for extended ground beef shelf life.