The Effects of Residual Oxygen on the Storage Life of Retail-Ready Fresh Beef Steaks Masterpackaged Under a CO2 Atmosphere

ABSTRACT:  Retail-packed rump ( Gluteus medius , GM) and striploins ( Longissiumus dorsi, LD) steaks were masterpackaged under carbon dioxide (CO₂) and stored at 1 °C ± 1 °C for 14, 28, 35, and 42 d. A commercial oxygen (O₂) scavenger (ATCO HV1000®, Standa Industrie, Caen, France) was used in the masterpacks to achieve an O₂-free atmosphere. Similar packages without the O₂ scavengers were also prepared. At each storage time, 2 masterpacks of each treatment were opened and the retail trays were placed in a display case at 4 °C ± 2 °C for 1 and 48 h for microbiological and sensorial evaluations. The low growth rate of aerobic psychrotrophic flora on the stored beefsteaks demonstrated the bacteriostatic effect of CO₂ during storage. The maximum level of psychrotrophic aerobic bacteria reached during storage was approximately 10⁶ CFU/g. The steaks stored in masterpacks with scavengers bloomed to the desirable red color associated with freshly cut meat in the display case for all of the storage periods, except in the case of GM steaks, which showed a cycle of transient discoloration. GM and LD steaks were well accepted (65% and 82%, respectively) after 42 d under CO₂ at 1 °C ± 1 °C. The GM and LD steaks stored without the O₂ scavenger showed variable fractions of discoloration that significantly detracted from the appearance of the samples.