Purpose: This study evaluated the effect of four antioxidants on the shelf-life of retail case-ready top sirloin steaks.
Methods: Beef top sirloins from a commercial beef plant were stored (4°C) in their original packaging for 15 days (to represent the average time wholesale meat products are stored before retailers process them) before portioning and application of antioxidant treatments. Each top sirloin steak was randomly assigned to a treatment (Control [no antioxidant], Antioxidant-A, Antioxidant-B, Antioxidant-C and Antioxidant-D). Antioxidant treatments were prepared and applied to steaks according to manufacturer instructions. Steaks were placed on foam trays, antioxidants sprayed, trays overwrapped, and then were packaged in low-oxygen mother bags, flushed with Tri-gas (modified atmosphere packaging; MAP) and stored (<4°C) for 6, 9, 12, 15, or 18 days. On each storage day, trays were removed from the mother bags and placed in retail display under florescent lighting. Microbiological (aerobic plate counts, lactic acid bacteria counts; n=5) and sensory analyses were performed at 0, 96, 120 and 144 h of retail display. Objective and subjective color were evaluated at 12-h intervals.
Results: At the end of retail display, Antioxidant-A- and Antioxidant-D-treated steaks were redder (P<0.05) than the control steaks. Antioxidant-D-treated steaks consistently had lower (P<0.05) spoilage bacterial populations compared to all other treatments. The percent beefy/brothy flavor of steaks decreased (P<0.05) as retail display hour increased for all antioxidant treatments. For all treatments, oxidized flavor of the steaks increased (P<0.05) as storage time in MAP or retail display increased. Antioxidant-A-, Antioxidant-C- and Antioxidant-D-treated steaks displayed lower (P<0.05) oxidized flavor compared to the control.
Significance: Overall, Antioxidant-A or Antioxidant-D improved the shelf-life of retail case-ready top sirloin steaks compared to the other tested treatments.