Putrescine and cadaverine formation in vacuum packed beef

Area of Science:

• Food Microbiology
• Meat Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Vacuum packaging extends the shelf life of beef but does not prevent spoilage.
• Biogenic amines like putrescine and cadaverine are indicators of microbial activity and spoilage in meat products.
• Assessing meat spoilage typically relies on bacterial counts and sensory evaluation of odor.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the changes in bacterial numbers, pH, and biogenic amine concentrations (putrescine and cadaverine) during chill storage of vacuum-packed beef.
• To correlate biogenic amine levels with bacterial growth and the development of off-odors.
• To determine if biogenic amines can serve as early indicators of spoilage.

Main Methods:

• Vacuum-packed beef was stored under chill conditions.
• Bacterial numbers (Total Viable Count - TVC) and pH were measured at regular intervals.
• Concentrations of putrescine and cadaverine were quantified using analytical methods.
• Sensory assessment of odors was performed upon opening the packages.

Main Results:

• Cadaverine concentrations increased more rapidly than putrescine concentrations.
• Detectable increases in diamines occurred before reaching maximum bacterial numbers (TVC).
• Biogenic amine increases were observed before the detection of permanent off-odors.
• Diamine concentrations showed a better correlation with TVC than with Gram-negative bacterial counts.

Conclusions:

• Cadaverine is a more sensitive early indicator of spoilage in vacuum-packed beef than putrescine.
• Monitoring biogenic amine concentrations, particularly cadaverine, can provide an earlier warning of meat spoilage than traditional methods.
• This finding has implications for improving quality control and shelf-life assessment in the meat industry.