Effect of beef long‐storage under different temperatures and vacuum‐packaging conditions on meat quality, oxidation processes and microbial growth

Abstract BACKGROUND The global beef market demands the meat industry to ensure product quality and safety in markets that are often very distant. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of chilled (CH, 120 d) and chilled‐then‐frozen (CHF, 28 d + 92 d) storage conditions of beef vacuum packaged (VP) and vacuum packaged with antimicrobial (VPAM) on meat quality, oxidative status and microbial loads. Treatments resulted from the combination of storage condition and packaging type: VP + CH, VP + CHF, VPAM + CH and VPAM + CHF. RESULTS Warner–Bratzler shear force values decreased in all treatments after 28 d of chilling. Except for VP + CH, L * values (lightness) of meat color did not differ in each treatment as the storage time increased. Meat from VP + CH had greater a * values than CHF treatments on day 120 of storage. A consumer panel did not detect differences in tenderness, flavor and overall liking between VP and VPAM beef, but they preferred CHF steaks rather than CH beef. TBARS values did not differ between VP and VPAM and between CH and CHF at any time during the storage period. At the end of storage time, all treatments except VP + CHF presented a greater concentration of thiols than at 48 h post‐mortem. On day 120 of storage, VP + CH had greater catalase enzyme activity than CHF treatments while VP + CH and VP + CHF showed a greater superoxide dismutase activity than VPAM + CHF. Storage condition (CH or CHF) had a greater impact on microbial counts than the type of packaging. CONCLUSION Freezing meat after an ageing period represents a suitable strategy to extend beef storage life without a detrimental impact on its quality. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.