Headspace Volume and Percentage of Carbon Monoxide Affects Carboxymyoglobin Layer Development of Modified Atmosphere Packaged Beef Steaks

Abstract

Carboxymyoglobin (COMb) development of beef Longissimus lumborum as related to molecular CO availability and package headspace volume was evaluated. Steaks from six pairs of USDA Select strip loins were packaged in modified atmosphere packages with 0.2%, 0.4%, or 0.8% CO and 30% CO(2) and balanced with N(2) to obtain meat-to-gas ratios of 0.4, 0.7, and 1.1, and CO molar concentrations of 0.07, 0.10, and 0.20 mMol. Steak redness (CIE a*), COMb layer thickness, percentage of CO in the headspace, visual display color, and bloom intensity scores were evaluated 4 and 7 d after packaging. Greater concentration of CO in a smaller headspace resulted in a thicker COMb layer compared with lesser concentration of CO in a larger headspace, regardless of moles CO available. The combined effects of concentration of CO and headspace volume had a greater impact on COMb development than millimoles of CO in the package headspace. Package headspace can be reduced and the concentration of CO can be increased without detriment to fresh beef color or consumer safety.

The effect of temperature during retail display on the colour stability of CO pretreated vacuum packaged beef steaks

“…Carboxymyoglobin (COMb) layer was measured according to the method of (Raines & Hunt, 2010) to determine the COMb layer on each treated sample. Treated steaks were removed from the vacuum packages after storage, cut in half vertically and the depth of the transition point of COMb to DMb was immediately recorded using a digital caliper (Draper Expert, PVC 150 D, Draper Tools Ltd., Hampshire, SO53, UK).…”

A method for extracting carboxy‐myoglobin from beef

“…In addition, the absorption spectrum of MetMb did not vary with CO blowing (data not shown), suggesting that CO coordinates with ferrous Mb but not with ferric Mb, as is also the case with O 2 . All ferrous Mb in CO-treated beef must be formed into COMb, because CO penetrates the surface of meat to a depth of 4 mm (Jayasingh et al 2001;Raines & Hunt 2010). Therefore, under the CO treatment conditions in this study, the ratio of COMb to ferrous Mb in the extract was considered the COMb extraction rate.…”

“…All ferrous Mb in CO-treated beef must be formed into COMb, because CO penetrates the surface of meat to a depth of 4 mm (Jayasingh et al 2001;Raines & Hunt 2010). All ferrous Mb in CO-treated beef must be formed into COMb, because CO penetrates the surface of meat to a depth of 4 mm (Jayasingh et al 2001;Raines & Hunt 2010).…”

Advances in the packaging of fresh and processed meat products

“…Beef steaks in MAP with 0.2% CO and 30% CO 2 had the highest preservation of color and odor while steaks in 0.4% CO were regarded by panelists to have an 'artificial' color and color stability decreased with storage in 21% O 2 (Venturini et al ., 2010). Carboxymyoglobin formation in beef steaks packaged in CO, CO 2 and N 2 increased with smaller headspaces and higher levels of CO (Raines and Hunt, 2010). Purge loss was lower in vacuum skin packed retail beef steaks than in VP while vacuum systems produced higher sensory scores and purple color compared with beef in high O 2 MAP (Lagerstedt et al ., 2011a).…”