Evaluation of the effects of selected phytochemicals on quality indices and sensorial properties of raw and cooked pork stored in different packaging systems

The effects of lutein (100, 200 μg/g muscle), sesamol (250, 500 μg/g muscle), ellagic acid (300, 600 μg/g muscle) and olive leaf extract (100, 200 μg/g muscle) on lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances TBARs), colour (CIE L∗, a∗, b∗), pH, texture profile analysis (TPA), water holding capacity (WHC), cooking losses and sensorial properties of fresh and cooked pork patties were investigated. Raw and cooked minced pork (M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum) containing added lutein, sesamol, ellagic acid or olive leaf extract were stored aerobically or in modified atmosphere packs (MAP) for up to 8 and 12 days, respectively. Lutein, sesamol, ellagic acid and olive leaf extract had no significant effect on microbial status, cook loss, pH or WHC. Lipid oxidation was reduced (P < 0.001) in raw and cooked pork patties stored in aerobic packs and in MAP following addition of sesamol, ellagic acid and olive leaf extract. Antioxidant effectiveness in raw and cooked patties was in the order: sesamol = ellagic acid > olive leaf extract > lutein. Lutein increased (P < 0.001) b∗ yellowness values in raw pork patties. Addition of lutein, sesamol, ellagic acid and olive leaf extract to pork had no detrimental effects on the organoleptic properties of cooked patties but altered (P < 0.05) instrumental textural attributes. Results highlight the potential of using natural functional ingredients in the development of functional pork products with enhanced quality and shelf-life.     

Addition of seaweed (Laminaria digitata) extracts containing laminarin and fucoidan to porcine diets: Influence on the quality and shelf-life of fresh pork

A seaweed extract containing laminarin (L) and fucoidan (F) (L/F) was manufactured from brown seaweed (Laminaria digitata) in spray-dried (L/F-SD) and wet (L/F-WS) forms. The effect of supplementation of pig diets with L/F-SD and L/F-WS (L, 500 mg/kg feed; F, 420 mg/kg feed) for 21 days pre-slaughter, on quality indices of fresh M. longissimus dorsi (LD) steaks was examined. Susceptibility of porcine liver, heart, kidney and lung tissue homogenates to iron-induced (1 mM FeSO₄) lipid oxidation was also investigated. Dietary supplementation with L/F did not increase plasma total antioxidant status (TAS). In LD steaks stored in modified atmosphere packs (80% O₂:20% CO₂) (MAP) for up to 15 days at 4 °C, muscle pH, surface colour (CIE ‘L*’ lightness, ‘a*’ redness and ‘b*’ yellowness values) and microbiology (psychrotrophic and mesophilic counts, log CFU/g pork) were unaffected by dietary L/F. In general, levels of lipid oxidation (TBARS, mg MDA (malondialdehyde)/kg pork) followed the order: C > LF-SD > L/F-WS. A statistically significant reduction in lipid oxidation (P < 0.05) was observed in LD steaks from 75% of pigs (n = 6) fed with L/F-WS compared to controls. Iron-induced lipid oxidation increased in liver, heart, kidney and lung tissue homogenates over the 24 h storage period and dietary L/F-WS reduced lipid oxidation to the greatest extent in liver tissue homogenates. Results demonstrate potential for the incorporation of marine-derived bioactive antioxidant components into muscle foods via the animal's diet.     

Effects of lactate and modified atmospheric packaging on premature browning in cooked ground beef patties

Our objectives were to determine the effects of lactate and modified atmosphere packaging on raw surface color, lipid oxidation, and internal cooked color of ground beef patties. Eight chubs (85% lean) were divided in half and each half was either assigned to the control (no lactate) or mixed with 2.5% lactate (w/w). Following treatment, patties were prepared and packaged in either vacuum, PVC (atmospheric oxygen level), high-oxygen (80% O₂ + 20% CO₂), or 0.4% CO (30% CO₂ + 69.6% N₂) and stored for 0, 2, or 4 days at 2 °C. After storage, raw surface color and lipid oxidation were measured and patties were cooked to either 66 °C or 71 °C. Lactate improved (p < 0.05) color stability of PVC, high-oxygen, and vacuum packaged raw patties, but had no effect (p > 0.05) on the a∗ values and visual color scores of patties in 0.4% CO. Lactate decreased (p < 0.05) lipid oxidation in all packaging atmospheres. Nevertheless, high-oxygen and PVC-packaged patties had more (p < 0.05) lipid oxidation than patties in CO and vacuum. Lactate had no effect (p > 0.05) on premature browning, whereas patties packaged in high-oxygen demonstrated premature browning. Conversely, cooked patties in 0.4% CO and vacuum were more red (p < 0.05) than both high-oxygen and PVC-packaged patties. Although lactate improved raw color stability, it did not minimize premature browning in cooked ground beef patties.     

Antioxidative effect of added tea catechins on susceptibility of cooked red meat,poultry and fish patties to lipid oxidation

The comparative antioxidant activity of added tea catechins on susceptibility of cooked and overwrapped red meat (beef and pork), poultry (chicken, duck and ostrich) and fish (whiting and mackerel) to lipid oxidation was investigated. Fresh meats, poultry and fish, purchased from a local market, were trimmed to remove bones, skin and visible fat and minced through a 4-mm plate. The minced muscle from each species was treated with either 1% NaCl (S), 300 mg tea catechins kg⁻¹ minced muscle (TC) or 1% NaCl plus 300 mg tea catechins kg⁻¹ minced muscle (TCS). Control minced muscle samples (C) contained neither NaCl nor tea catechins. Patties (50 g), prepared from treated and untreated minced muscle, were cooked until the core temperature reached 75°C, cooled down to room temperature and held in a refrigerated (4°C) and illuminated (616 lux) display cabinet for 10 days. Oxidative stability (TBARS) was measured at 3-day intervals. The susceptibility of cooked patties to lipid oxidation was closely related to lipid content, concentration of unsaturated fatty acids and presence of iron in different species. Addition of NaCl to raw minced muscle significantly (P<0.05) promoted lipid oxidation for cooked patties regardless of species sources. Tea catechins added at a level of 300 mg kg⁻¹ minced muscle significantly (P<0.01) inhibited the pro-oxidation caused by NaCl and controlled lipid oxidation for all cooked muscle patties examined. Tea catechins at concentrations greater than 300 mg kg⁻¹ were necessary to reduce oxidation for mackerel patties containing high levels of lipids and unsaturated fatty acids. The high affinity of tea catechins for the lipid bilayers of muscle and the radical scavenging abilities of tea catechins may be possible mechanisms to explain the oxidative stability in cooked muscle foods.     

Quality evaluation of beef patties formulated with bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean L.) seed flour

This study evaluated composite beef–bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean L.) seed flour patties to determine the effect of bambara groundnut flour (BGF) inclusion on the quality and acceptability of the products. The effect of different levels of BGF (0%, 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5%) on the proximate composition and pH indicate that BGF had no significant (p ? 0.05) effect on moisture, protein and carbohydrate of raw patties except ash and pH whereas there was significant (p ? 0.05) effect on all the parameters for the cooked patties. BGF significantly (p ? 0.05) reduced the shrinkage of the cooked patties from 9.13% to 6.76%, while percentage cooking yield, moisture retention, and fat retention increased significantly (p ? 0.05) with increasing BGF levels from 79.1% to 87.2%, 67.51% to 78.05% and 73.51% to 88.34%, respectively. The use of BGF significantly (p ? 0.05) increased the pH of cooked patties from 6.16 to 6.23. Beef patties extended with BGF up to 5% addition exhibited good quality attributes most acceptable to the consumers. The pH of the 0% BGF–beef patties decreased significantly during storage, up to day 14, and increased thereafter. However, the pH of the patties with BGF consistently decreased significantly up to day 21. The TBA values of both (0% and 5% BGF–beef patties) increased significantly (p ? 0.05) from 0.054 to 0.25 and from 0.05 to 0.24 mg malonaldehyde/kg, respectively. All sensory attributes decreased significantly (p ? 0.05) as storage time progressed. The physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics of the patties were found to be acceptable after 21 days refrigerated storage.     

Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) and soybean oil effects on quality characteristics of pork patties studied by response surface methodology

Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effect and interactions of processing variables such as roselle extract (0.1–1.3%), soybean oil (5–20%) on physicochemical, textural and sensory properties of cooked pork patties. It was found that reduction in thickness, pH, L* and b* values decreased; however, water-holding capacity, reduction in diameter and a* values increased, respectively, as the amount of roselle increased. Soybean oil addition increased water-holding capacity, reduction in thickness, b* values of the patties. The hardness depended on the roselle and soybean oil added, as its linear effect was negative at p < 0.01. The preference of color, tenderness, juiciness, and overall quality depend on the addition of roselle and soybean oil. The maximum overall quality score (5.42) was observed when 12.5 g of soybean oil and 0.7 g of roselle extract was added. The results of this optimization study would be useful for meat industry that tends to increase the product yield for patties using the optimum levels of ingredients by RSM.     

Inhibition of protein and lipid oxidation by rapeseed, camelina and soy meal in cooked pork meat patties

In this study protein-containing by-products of deoiling processes rich in phenolics were applied to meat to be used as potential food ingredients in developing meat products with antioxidant effect. The effect of rapeseed meal (Brassica rapa L.), camelina meal (Camelina sativa), soy meal and soy flour (from soybean, Glycene max L.), in inhibiting oxidation of lipids and proteins was tested in cooked pork meat patties. A commercial CO₂ extract from rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) was used as a reference material alone and in combination with the other plant materials. The cooked pork meat with added plant materials was oxidized for 10 days at 5 °C under light. The oxidation was followed by measuring the formation of hexanal, pentanal and propanal by headspace gas chromatography and the formation of protein carbonyls by converting them to 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones (DNPH). Rapeseed meal (0.5 and 0.7 g/100 g meat) and camelina meal (0.7 g/100 g meat) as such and their combination (addition of 0.5 g/100 g) with rosemary extract (0.04 g/100 g) were effective antioxidants toward both protein and lipid oxidation while soy meal and flour were effective only in combination with rosemary extract.     

Suitability of the TBA method for assessing lipid oxidation in a meat system with added phenolic-rich materials

Numerous protocols and modifications of the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test are available in the literature. The present paper compares the effectiveness of different TBA tests in minimizing the interferences caused by the addition of phenolic-rich materials (wild fruits) as antioxidants in cooked burger patties. The aqueous acid extraction procedure (EM) and a modified distilation TBA method (DM) were tested with different conditions of incubation – boiling (B) vs. room temperature (RT) – for monitoring lipid oxidation in cooked burger patties during refrigerated storage. DM-B and DM-RT were more suitable than EM procedures for assessing TBA-reactive substances (TBA-RS) in meat samples containing compounds such as anthocyanins, with similar spectral properties than that of the TBA–malondialdehyde (MDA) adduct. Additionally, interferences caused by browning development during incubation were avoided by DM procedures or by performing RT incubations. Correlations between TBA-RS numbers and hexanal contents in cooked pork burger patties were calculated in order to corroborate the suitability of the tested TBA procedures. The DM-RT procedure showed the highest correlation with hexanal content (R² = 0.90; p < 0.001).     

Antioxidative activity of carnosine in gamma irradiated ground beef and beef patties

The activity of carnosine as a natural antioxidant in gamma irradiated ground beef and beef patties was studied. Samples of ground beef, in the absence and presence of 0.5% or 1.0% carnosine, as well as raw and cooked beef patties prepared with 1.5% salt (NaCl), in the absence and presence of 0.5% or 1.0% carnosine, were gamma irradiated at doses of 0, 2, and 4 kGy. The extent of oxidation in irradiated and non-irradiated samples of ground beef and raw beef patties was then determined during refrigerated (4 ± 1 °C) and frozen (−18 °C) storage, while determined for cooked beef patties during refrigerated storage only. Moreover, the determination of metmyoglobin (MetMb) accumulation and sensory evaluation for the visual color were carried out for samples of ground beef and raw patties. The results indicated that salt or salt and cooking accelerated the oxidative processes and significantly increased the peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the prepared non-irradiated samples. However, salt slowed down the accumulation of MetMb in raw patties. Irradiation treatments and storage in the absence of carnosine significantly (P < 0.05) increased the PV and TBARS in samples, at higher rates in salted or salted and cooked beef. Moreover, irradiation and storage significantly (P < 0.05) increased the formation of MetMb in ground beef and raw patties in the absence of carnosine. Addition of carnosine significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the oxidative processes and MetMb formation (proportionally to the used concentration) in samples post-irradiation and during storage. Furthermore, carnosine exerted significant efficacy in maintaining an acceptable visual red color post-irradiation and during storage of ground beef and raw patties. These results demonstrate that carnosine can be successfully used as a natural antioxidant to increase the oxidative stability in gamma irradiated raw and cooked meat products.     

Evaluation of the effects of selected plant-derived nutraceuticals on the quality and shelf-life stability of raw and cooked pork sausages

The effect of lutein (200 μg/g meat), sesamol (250 μg/g meat), ellagic acid (300 μg/g meat) and olive leaf extract (200 μg/g meat) on total viable counts (TVC), pH, water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss, lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARs), colour stability, texture and sensory evaluation of fresh and cooked pork sausages stored in aerobic or modified atmosphere packs (MAP) was investigated. Addition of sesamol, ellagic acid and olive leaf extract reduced (P < 0.001) lipid oxidation in all packaged raw and cooked pork sausages. Antioxidant potency followed the order: sesamol 250 > ellagic acid 300 > olive leaf extract 200 > lutein 200 for both raw and cooked pork sausages. Addition of sesamol increased (P < 0.001) WHC on days 2 and 12 of MAP storage. Meat addition of lutein, sesamol, ellagic acid and olive leaf extract had no detrimental effect on pH, cooking losses, TVCs, tenderness, juiciness, texture or product flavour. Lutein, sesamol, ellagic acid and olive leaf extract were effective as natural functional ingredients in suppressing lipid oxidation and have the potential to be incorporated into functional raw and cooked pork sausages.     

Packaging-specific influence of chitosan on color stability and lipid oxidation in refrigerated ground beef

We examined the influence of chitosan on lipid oxidation and color stability of ground beef stored in different modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) systems. Ground beef patties with chitosan (1%) or without chitosan (control) were packaged either in high-oxygen MAP (HIOX; 80% O₂ + 20% CO₂), carbon monoxide MAP (CO; 0.4% CO + 19.6% CO₂ + 80% N₂), vacuum (VP), or aerobic packaging (PVC) and stored at 1 °C. Chitosan increased (P < 0.05) redness of patties stored in PVC and CO, whereas it had no effect (P > 0.05) in HIOX. Chitosan patties demonstrated lower (P < 0.05) lipid oxidation than controls in all packaging. Control patties in PVC and HIOX exhibited greater (P < 0.05) lipid oxidation than those in VP and CO, whereas chitosan patties in different packaging systems were not different (P > 0.05) from each other. Our findings suggested that antioxidant effects of chitosan on ground beef are packaging-specific.     

Addition of seaweed (Laminaria digitata) extracts containing laminarin and fucoidan to porcine diets: Influence on the quality and shelf-life of fresh pork

A seaweed extract containing laminarin (L) and fucoidan (F) (L/F) was manufactured from brown seaweed (Laminaria digitata) in spray-dried (L/F-SD) and wet (L/F-WS) forms. The effect of supplementation of pig diets with L/F-SD and L/F-WS (L, 500 mg/kg feed; F, 420 mg/kg feed) for 21 days pre-slaughter, on quality indices of fresh M. longissimus dorsi (LD) steaks was examined. Susceptibility of porcine liver, heart, kidney and lung tissue homogenates to iron-induced (1 mM FeSO₄) lipid oxidation was also investigated. Dietary supplementation with L/F did not increase plasma total antioxidant status (TAS). In LD steaks stored in modified atmosphere packs (80% O₂:20% CO₂) (MAP) for up to 15 days at 4 °C, muscle pH, surface colour (CIE ‘L*’ lightness, ‘a*’ redness and ‘b*’ yellowness values) and microbiology (psychrotrophic and mesophilic counts, log CFU/g pork) were unaffected by dietary L/F. In general, levels of lipid oxidation (TBARS, mg MDA (malondialdehyde)/kg pork) followed the order: C > LF-SD > L/F-WS. A statistically significant reduction in lipid oxidation (P < 0.05) was observed in LD steaks from 75% of pigs (n = 6) fed with L/F-WS compared to controls. Iron-induced lipid oxidation increased in liver, heart, kidney and lung tissue homogenates over the 24 h storage period and dietary L/F-WS reduced lipid oxidation to the greatest extent in liver tissue homogenates. Results demonstrate potential for the incorporation of marine-derived bioactive antioxidant components into muscle foods via the animal's diet.     

Effect of lutein,sesamol, ellagic acid and olive leaf extract on the quality and shelf-life stability of packaged raw minced beef patties

The effects of lutein (100 and 200 μg/g muscle), sesamol (250 and 500 μg/g muscle), ellagic acid (300 and 600 μg/g muscle) and olive leaf extract (100 and 200 μg/g muscle) on total viable counts (TVCs), lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, TBARS), colour, oxymyoglobin oxidation, pH, water-holding capacity (WHC), sensorial properties of raw beef patties (M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum) stored in modified atmosphere packs (80% O₂:20% CO₂) (MAP) aerobically at 4 °C for up to 8 and 12 days, respectively, were examined. All the nutraceuticals reduced (P < 0.001) TVCs. The addition of sesamol, ellagic acid and olive leaf extract reduced (P < 0.001) TBARS in raw beef patties in both packaging systems. Sesamol addition to beef resulted in lower (P < 0.01) a* redness values and increased oxymyoglobin oxidation. Conversely, lutein and olive leaf extract reduced (P < 0.001) oxymyoglobin oxidation relative to the control. The graded addition of ellagic acid and olive leaf extract improved (P < 0.001) WHC.     

Relationship between the solubility,dosage and antioxidant capacity of carnosic acid in raw and cooked ground buffalo meat patties and chicken patties

Antioxidant capacity of oil soluble and water dispersible carnosic acid (CA) extracted from dried rosemary leaves using HPLC was evaluated at two different dosages (22.5 ppm vs 130 ppm) in raw and cooked ground buffalo meat patties and chicken patties. Irrespective of total phenolic content, CA extracts reduced (p < 0.05) the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) by 39%–47% and 37%–40% in cooked buffalo meat and chicken patties at lower dosage (22.5 ppm) relative to control samples. However, at higher dosage (130 ppm) the TBARS values were reduced (p < 0.05) by 86%–96% and 78%–87% in cooked buffalo meat and chicken patties compared to controls. The CA extracts were also effective in inhibiting (p < 0.05) peroxide value and free fatty acids in cooked buffalo meat and chicken patties. The CA extracts when used at higher dosage, were also effective in stabilizing raw buffalo meat color.     

Oxidation in HiOx-packaged pork Longissimus muscle predisposes myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins to N-nitrosamine formation in nitrite-curing solution

The effect of meat protein in situ oxidation on the formation of N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) was investigated. Fresh minced pork was untreated (Con) or treated with 700 mg/kg α-tocopherol (Toc) or 300 mg/kg tea polyphenols (PPE), packaged in a HiOx atmosphere (78.8% O₂, 18.8% CO₂, 2.4% N₂), then stored at 2 ± 1 °C for up to 10 days. Crude myofibrillar (MP) or sarcoplasmic (SP) protein (20 mg/mL) extracted from stored meat was reacted with 43 μM sodium nitrite at 80 °C for 1 h. Lipid oxidation was totally inhibited in PPE pork but increased in Con and Toc samples after 10 days. There was significant protein oxidation (losses of sulfhydryls, formation of protein carbonyls) in both MP and SP in all samples during storage. However, the Con group suffered more extensive protein oxidation than Toc and PPE and produced more NDEA (P < 0.05), indicating that protein oxidation promoted nitrosation.     

Enhancement of the nutritional status and quality of fresh pork sausages following the addition of linseed oil,fish oil and natural antioxidants

Fresh pork sausages (pork shoulder, pork back fat, water, rusk and seasoning) were manufactured where 15% of the pork back fat was substituted with linseed oil (LO) or fish oil (FO). Green tea catechins (GTC) and green coffee antioxidant (GCA) were added to both LO (LGTC 200 and LGCA 200) and FO (FGTC 200 and FGCA 200) substituted sausages at a level of 200 mg/kg. Raw and cooked pork sausages were either over-wrapped with oxygen permeable film (aerobic storage) or stored in modified atmosphere packages (MAP) containing 80% O₂:20% CO₂ or 70% N₂:30% CO₂, respectively for 7 days at 4 °C. Effects on fatty acid profiles, lipid oxidation, colour and sensorial properties were investigated. α-Linolenic acid increased from 1.34% (control) to 8.91% (LO) and up to 11.2% (LGTC 200 and LGCA 200). Addition of fish oil increased levels of EPA from 0.05% (control) to 2.83% (FO), 3.02% (FGTC 200) and 2.87% (FGCA 200) and DHA levels increased from 0.04% (control) to a maximum of 1.93% (FGTC 200). Lipid oxidation was low in raw and cooked linseed oil containing sausages. GTC (200 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) reduced lipid oxidation in raw fish oil containing sausages after 7 days of storage. Colour parameters in raw pork sausages were unaffected by the packaging atmosphere. L¹ lightness values were lower (P < 0.05) in LGTC 200 and a¹ redness values lower (P < 0.05) in LGTC 200 and FGTC 200 after 7 days of storage. Sensory scores of cooked pork sausages were unaffected by linseed oil addition. Flavour and overall acceptability scores in cooked fish oil containing sausages were improved by GTC addition. Results obtained demonstrate potential for the production of nutritionally enhanced fresh pork sausages.     

Effects of temperature and NaCl percentage on lipid oxidation in pork muscle and exploration of the controlling method using response surface methodology (RSM)

This study investigated the effects of temperature (15, 20, 25, 30 or 35 °C) and sodium chloride (NaCl) (0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, 3.0% or 4.0%) on lipid oxidation by measuring the peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in minced pork muscle. Both temperature and NaCl showed significant (P < 0.05) pro-oxidant effect within studied range. The activation energy (92.35 kJ/mol) for PV was higher than that (65.66 kJ/mol) for TBARS, indicating that lipid primary oxidation was more affected by temperature than the secondary oxidation. Temperature and NaCl had extremely significant (P < 0.001) interaction for lipid oxidation. Elevating temperature could significantly (P < 0.05) decrease the threshold value of NaCl concentration affecting lipid oxidation in the minced pork muscle. Based on the results, a relatively high temperature and a moderate or slightly lower level of NaCl, are recommended conditions for the fastest lipid primary oxidation rate in pork muscle.     

Practical use of surimi-like material made from porcine longissimus dorsi muscle for the production of low-fat pork patties

This study evaluates the effect of replacing fat with surimi-like material (SLM) made from the porcine longissimus dorsi muscle on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of pork patties. Pork patties were produced with different levels of fat and SLM using a commercial method. Pork patties produced with 20% SLM had the lowest fat content (1.76%, P < 0.001), and had a higher cooking yield (87.41 vs. 78.57%, P < 0.05) and less shrinkage (4.01 vs. 9.02%, P < 0.001) than patties produced with 20% back-fat (control). Moreover, patties produced with SLM exhibited more acceptable organoleptic characteristics, including tenderness (P < 0.01) and overall acceptability (P < 0.001), than full-fat control patties. These results indicated that SLM cannot only be used as a fat replacer, but that it also improves the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of low-fat pork patties.     

Color-stabilizing effect of lactate on ground beef is packaging-dependent

Previous research on lactate-induced color stability in ground beef did not address the potential influence of packaging. The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of lactate on the color stability of ground beef patties stored in different modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) systems. Ground beef patties with either 2.5% potassium lactate or no lactate were packaged in vacuum (VP), high-oxygen MAP (HIOX; 80% O₂ + 20% CO₂), carbon monoxide MAP (CO; 0.4% CO + 19.6% CO₂ + 80% N₂), or aerobic packaging (PVC) and stored for 0, 2, or 4 days at 2 °C. Lactate-treated patties were darker (P < 0.05; lower L∗ values) than control patties. Surface redness (a∗ values) was greater (P < 0.05) for lactate patties than the controls when stored in PVC, HIOX, and VP. However, lactate’s effects on a∗ values were not evident when packaged in CO (P > 0.05). The color-stabilizing effect of CO could have masked lactate’s effect on surface redness. While lactate patties in PVC and VP demonstrated lower (P < 0.05) discoloration than controls, no differences (P > 0.05) existed between controls and lactate samples in CO and HIOX. Our results indicated that the effects of lactate on ground beef color are dependent on packaging.     

Enhancing the thermal destruction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef patties by trans-cinnamaldehyde

The effect of trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC) on the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in undercooked ground beef patties was investigated. A five-strain mixture of E. coli O157:H7 was inoculated into ground beef (7.0 log CFU/g), followed by addition of TC (0, 0.15, and 0.3%). The meat was formed into patties and stored at 4 °C for 5 days or at −18 °C for 7 days. The patties were cooked to an internal temperature of 60 or 65 °C, and E. coli O157:H7 was enumerated. The numbers of E. coli O157:H7 did not decline during storage of patties. However, cooking of patties containing TC significantly reduced (P < 0.05) E. coli O157:H7 counts, by >5.0 log CFU/g, relative to the reduction in controls cooked to the same temperatures. The D-values at 60 and 65 °C of E. coli O157:H7 in TC-treated patties (1.85 and 0.08 min, respectively) were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the corresponding D-values for the organism in control patties (2.70 and 0.29 min, respectively). TC-treated patties were more color stable and showed significantly lower lipid oxidation (P < 0.05) than control samples. TC enhanced the heat sensitivity of E. coli O157:H7 and could potentially be used as an antimicrobial for ensuring pathogen inactivation in undercooked patties. However detailed sensory studies will be necessary to determine the acceptability to consumers of TC in ground beef patties.