Impact of Light Source on Color and Lipid Oxidative Stabilities from a Moderately Color-Stable Beef Muscle during Retail Display

Abstract

Consumers’ purchasing decisions are heavily impacted by fresh meat color, which they consider an indicator of quality in a retail setting. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the impact of light source on surface color and lipid oxidation during retail display of fresh steaks from semimembranosus (SM), a beef muscle with moderate oxidative and color stabilities. Steaks (n = 240) from the SM (n = 20) were packaged on Styrofoam trays and overwrapped with oxygen-permeable polyvinyl chloride. Steaks were then assigned to 1 of 3 lighting treatments, high UV fluorescent (HFLO), low UV fluorescent (FLO), and light emitting diode (LED) to mimic current storage conditions with a variety of industry available fluorescent bulbs, and evaluate emerging lighting conditions with LED. Steaks were removed on retail display d 1, 3, 5, and 7 for evaluation of instrumental color (L*, a*, and b* values), surface myoglobin redox forms, metmyoglobin reducing activity, and lipid oxidation. Light source influenced (P < 0.05) redness (a* values), with HFLO-displayed steaks having greatest (P < 0.05) a* values and LED-displayed steaks exhibiting lowest (P < 0.05) a* values. Surface redness decreased (P < 0.05) over retail display day. Steaks displayed in HFLO and FLO had greater (P < 0.05) oxymyoglobin percentages than those displayed under LED, indicating that LED accelerated surface discoloration compared to HFLO and FLO lights. Metmyoglobin (MMb) percentages increased over retail display, with LED-exposed steaks having greater (P < 0.05) percentages of MMb than those displayed in HFLO and FLO. By d 7 of retail display, HFLO-exposed steaks had lower (P < 0.05) MMb percentages than the steaks displayed in both FLO and LED. Lighting type did not influence (P > 0.05) lipid oxidation in SM steaks, however, lipid oxidation increased (P < 0.05) over retail display. The findings indicated that light source influenced the color stability in SM steaks during retail display and that HFLO light can minimize surface discoloration in moderate color stability beef muscles.