Impact of high oxygen and vacuum retail ready packaging formats on lamb loin and topside eating quality

Abstract

Lamb steaks from semimembranosus (SM) and longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscles were allocated to three different packaging treatments — Darfresh® vacuum skin packaging (VSP), Darfresh® Bloom packaging (80% O2:20% CO2; Hi-Ox-DB) or high oxygen modified atmosphere packaging (80% O2:20% CO2; Hi-Ox-MAP) — and stored in simulated retail display for 5 or 10 days and then subjected to consumer sensory and chemical analyses. Hi-Ox-MAP and Hi-Ox-DB samples had lower tenderness, flavor, juiciness and overall liking scores and higher TBARS values, compared to VSP. Hi-Ox-MAP samples deteriorated in juiciness and flavor between 5 and 10 days. Hi-Ox-MAP LTL samples had a lower myofibrillar fragm..