Effect of beef long-storage under different temperatures and vacuum-packaging conditions on meat quality, oxidation processes and microbial growth.
ABSTRACT.- BACKGROUND:The global beef market demands the meat industry to ensure product quality and safety in markets that are often very distant. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of chilled (CH, 120 d) and chilled-then-frozen (CHF, 28 d + 92 d) storage conditions of beef vacuum packaged (VP) and vacuum packaged with antimicrobial (VPAM) on meat quality, oxidative status and microbial loads. Treatments resulted from the combination of storage condition and packaging type:VP + CH, VP + CHF, VPAM + CH and VPAM + CHF.