The effect of wholesale vacuum and 100% CO2 storage on the subsequent microbiological, colour and acceptability attributes of PVC-overwrapped pork loin chops

The shelf life of chops cut from pork loins, after either vacuum or 100% CO₂ storage (0, 7 or 14 days), was determined. The PVC-overwrapped chops were assessed, following a shelf life study of 0, 2, 5 or 7 days at 0 or 5°C, regarding quality attributes such as microbiological contamination levels, colour and acceptability. The study indicated that according to the psychrotrophic counts, the PVC-overwrapped retail chops, from the vacuum as well as the 100% CO₂ stored pork loins (0, 7 or 14 days), still attained a conventional shelf life of 3 days.

Lactic acid bacteria and pseudomonads largely represented the psychrotrophic counts. No clear pattern could be detected regarding the colour scores except that the samples displayed at 0°C tended to retain colour longer. These samples were also judged to be more acceptable, although the determination of acceptability was subjective.