Effect of Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen Enriched Atmospheres on the Shelf-Life of Refrigerated Pork Packed in Plastic Bags

Abstract

Changes in bacterial numbers, metmyoglobin percentage and 2-thiobarbituric acid number during the chill storage of pork longissimus dorsi packed with air, carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide and oxygen or vacuum-packed in plastic bags of high (polyethylene) and low (Cryovac BB-1) permeability to gases were studied. The fast increase of viable counts in polyethylene bags showed that plastic films of high permeability are not suitable to extend the shelf-life of meat using modified atmospheres. In Cryovac bags both carbon dioxide-enriched atmospheres and vacuum-packaging inhibited aerobic organisms, keeping the bacterial flora (mainly lactobacilli and Brochothrix thermosphacta) below the level of 108/cm2 for about 3 weeks. Metmyoglobin formation was not affected by 20% carbon dioxide, whilst 80% oxygen significantly decreased its rate. Metmyoglobin accumulation in vacuum-packed samples was even slower than in the oxygen-enriched atmosphere, but meat color was less attractive in the former than in the latter. Lipid oxidation was not the limiting factor of shelf-life in either of these two atmospheres. Off-odors appeared in both at approximately 20–22 d of storage.