Effects of Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Shelf Life Extention of Minced Meat Chemical and Microbiological Changes

In this study, the effects three different headspace conditions on the properties of canned minced beef meat were investigated by measuring pH changes at intervals of 1, 4 and 7 days. The three types of headspace conditions were a headspace of atmospheric air, Vacuum Packaging (VP) and Modified-Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), i.e., 70% O2 and 30% CO2 (MAP1) and 10% O2, 30% CO2 and 60% N2 (MAP2). The properties assessed at each of the four different conditions were color properties, oxidation stability and microbiological properties of minced beef meat stored at 4°C. Compared with air packaged samples, the most effective packaging methods were vacuum packaging for inhibiting TV and psychrotrophs counts. Among the three different head space consitions, the best preservation of minced beef meat occurred when MAP1 was used whereas vacuum packaging maintained acceptable color and oxidation stability, except for the air packaged samples.