Shelf life extension of vacuum packaged chilled beef in the Chinese supply chain. A feasibility study

Combined Effect of an Active AgIon® Absorbent Pad and a Chitosan Coating on the Preservation of Fresh Beef

In the present study, the combined effect of an AgIon® antimicrobial absorbent (Ζ) pad and a chitosan coating (C) on the preservation of fresh beef stored aerobically at 5 °C was investigated. Microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory attributes were monitored for up to 10 days of storage. The microbiological data indicated that the C and chitosan coating plus absorbent pad (CZ) treatments were the most efficient in reducing total viable counts (TVC) by 4.09 and 3.53 log cfu/g compared to the control W and Z treatments on day 4 of storage (p < 0.05). An analogous reduction in the counts of the other microbial groups monitored was recorded. pH values were ca. 5.7 for treatments W and Z and 5.45 for treatments C and CZ on day 4 of storage (p < 0.05). The total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) values remained <20 mg/100 g for all treatments on day 4 and for treatments C and CZ on day 10 of storage. The total color difference values decreased (p < 0.05) during storage for treatments W and Z, but remained constant for treatments C and CZ. Based on sensory, microbiological and physico-chemical data, beef shelf life was ca ^# + 3 days for samples W and Z and at least 10 + 3 days for samples C and CZ. Between the two antimicrobial treatments, chitosan was considerably more effective than the AgIon® antimicrobial absorbent pad, which showed practically no antimicrobial activity in direct contact with beef meat.

Exploration of the shelf-life difference between chilled beef and pork with similar initial levels of bacterial contamination

This study compared the shelf-life of beef and pork longissimus lumborum muscles (loins) that had the same initial bacterial loads and were held under the same chilled storage conditions. To identify the underlying pathways, comparisons were conducted from the perspective of the spoilage indicators; protease/lipase activity, and the volatile organic compounds (VOC) generated over 28 d of chilled storage. The initial total viable microbial count (TVC) on Day 0 for both type of meat was 4.3 log10 CFU/g. It was found that the TVC of beef and pork did not differ throughout the total chilled storage period and both ultimately exceeded 7 log10 CFU/g after 28 d. Based on total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) guidelines, pork was spoilt after 21 d of chilled storage and therefore 7 d earlier than beef. Changes in the concentration of VOC spoilage biomarkers, including 1-octen-3-ol, 1-octanol, nonanal, and others, confirmed that pork had a shorter shelf-life than beef. An important reason for the difference in shelf-life between the two types of meat was that pork had a higher protease activity, although the beef had higher levels of total lipase activity. These findings help us understand the differences in the spoilage process of raw meat from different species and explore specific measures to control the spoilage of beef or pork.

Effect of beef long-storage under different temperatures and vacuum-packaging conditions on meat quality, oxidation processes and microbial growth

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.

RESULTS

Warner-Bratzler shear force values decreased in all treatments after 28 d of chilling. Except for VP + CH, L* values (lightness) of meat color did not differ in each treatment as the storage time increased. Meat from VP + CH had greater a* values than CHF treatments on day 120 of storage. A consumer panel did not detect differences in tenderness, flavor and overall liking between VP and VPAM beef, but they preferred CHF steaks rather than CH beef. TBARS values did not differ between VP and VPAM and between CH and CHF at any time during the storage period. At the end of storage time, all treatments except VP + CHF presented a greater concentration of thiols than at 48 h post-mortem. On day 120 of storage, VP + CH had greater catalase enzyme activity than CHF treatments while VP + CH and VP + CHF showed a greater superoxide dismutase activity than VPAM + CHF. Storage condition (CH or CHF) had a greater impact on microbial counts than the type of packaging.

CONCLUSION

Freezing meat after an ageing period represents a suitable strategy to extend beef storage life without a detrimental impact on its quality. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Shelf life estimation of refrigerated vacuum packed beef accounting for uncertainty

This study estimates the shelf life of vacuum packed beef meat (three muscles: striploin (longissimus thoracis et lumborum, LTL), tenderloin (psoas major, PM) and outside chuck (trapezius thoracis, TT)) at refrigeration temperatures (0 °C-10 °C) based on modelling the growth of two relevant groups of spoilage microorganisms: lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Enterobacteriaceae. The growth models were developed combining a two-step and a one-step approach. The primary modelling was used to identify the parameters affecting the growth kinetics, guiding the definition of secondary growth models. For LAB, the secondary model included the effect of temperature and initial pH on the specific growth rate. On the other hand, the model for Enterobacteriaceae incorporated the effect of temperature on the specific growth rate and the lag phase; as well as the effect of the initial pH on the specific growth rate, the lag phase and the initial microbial count. We did not observe any significant effect of the type of muscle on the growth kinetics. Once the equations were defined, the models were fitted to the complete dataset using a one-step approach. Model validation was carried out by cross-validation, mitigating the impact of an arbitrary division between training and validation sets. The models were used to estimate the shelf life of the product, based on the maximum admissible microbial concentration (7 log CFU/g for LAB, 5 log CFU/g for Enterobacteriaceae). Although LAB was the dominant microbiota, in several cases, both LAB and Enterobacteriaceae reached the critical concentration practically at the same time. Furthermore, in some scenarios, the end of shelf life would be determined by Enterobacteriaceae, pointing at the potential importance of non-dominant microorganisms for product spoilage. These results can aid in the implementation of effective control measures in the meat processing industry.

Food freshness monitoring using poly(vinyl alcohol) and anthocyanins doped zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 multilayer films with bacterial nanocellulose beneath as support

Multilayer intelligent freshness labels based on bacterial nanocellulose (BNC), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and anthocyanins doped zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (A-ZIF-8) nanocrystals were developed in this study. First, optical, structural, thermal, and surface characterizations of A-ZIF-8 nanocrystals were performed, and the successful incorporation of anthocyanins into ZIF-8 nanocrystals was demonstrated. Next, A-ZIF-8 was added into PVA, and multilayer films were fabricated by spin-coating PVA/A-ZIF-8 layers onto BNC. The effect of the number of deposition cycles on the barrier, mechanical, thermal, morphological, and colorimetric properties of multilayer labels was investigated. The ammonia sensing, mechanical, and barrier properties of the films were shown to be tuned by the number of the PVA/A-ZIF-8 layers on the BNC. Among the developed films, BNC-2PVA/A-ZIF-8 films with the best colorimetric sensitivity toward volatile ammonia were used to monitor the freshness of skinless chicken breasts. The changes in the ΔE and a* values of BNC-2PVA/A-ZIF-8 film demonstrated a good correlation with the microbial and TVB-N levels in samples over 10 days of storage at 4 °C.

Characterization and Correlation of Dominant Microbiota and Flavor Development in Different Post-Mortem Processes of Beef

Post-mortem aging could enhance the unique flavors of beef via several biochemical pathways. The microbiota is one of the important factors in the flavor development of aging beef, but their potential relationship has rarely been studied. This study characterized the apparent meat quality, flavor profiles, and microbial communities of beef during the different post-mortem processes, followed by the investigation of the correlations between the dominant microbiota and key volatile compounds. The results showed that wet-aged beef has a higher product yield and more stable color than dry-aged beef, as evidenced by the significantly lower value of aging loss and discoloration (ΔE). According to the odor activity value, 11 out of 65 compounds were categorized as aroma-active components, and 9 of them, including 1-pentanol, 1-octen-3-ol, hexanal, nonanal, heptanal, octanal, 2-nonenal, (E)-, 2-octenal, (E)- and 2-decenal, (E)-, were enriched in beef wet-aged for 7 d. Significant variances were found in the microbial communities of different aging beef. Of these, 20 microbiota (with 10 bacterial and 10 fungal genera) were recognized as the dominant genus. Partial least squares regression combined with a correlation network model revealed that five microbial genera, including Trichosporon, Prauserella, Rhodotorula, Malassezia, and Corynebacterium, constituted the functional microbiota responsible for flavor formation in aging beef and were positively associated with ≥7 key volatile compounds (p < 0.05, |ρ| > 0.7). This study suggests that the application of wet aging within 7 d on beef is better for meat quality and provides novel insights into the mechanisms of flavor formation in post-mortem aging beef via functional microbiota.

Preliminary investigation into the prediction of indicators of beef spoilage using Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The objective of this study was to assess the potential to predict the microbial beef spoilage indicators by Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopies. Vacuum skin packaged (VSP) beef steaks were stored at 0 °C, 4 °C, 8 °C and under a dynamic temperature condition (0 °C ∼ 4 °C ∼ 8 °C, for 36 d). Total viable count (TVC) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) were obtained during the storage period along with spectroscopic data. The Raman and FTIR spectra were baseline corrected, pre-processed using Savitzky-Golay smoothing and normalized. Subsequently partial least squares regression (PLSR) models of TVC and TVB-N were developed and evaluated. The root mean squared error (RMSE) ranged from 0.81 to1.59 (log CFU/g or mg/100 g) and the determination coefficient (R²) from 0.54 to 0.75. The performance of PLSR model based on data fusion (combination of Raman and FT-IR data) is better than that based on Raman spectra and similar to that of FT-IR. Overall, Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and a combination of both exhibited a potential for the prediction of the beef spoilage.

Microbiological Changes during Long-Storage of Beef Meat under Different Temperature and Vacuum-Packaging Conditions

We evaluated a combination of two temperatures and two packaging materials for long-term storage of vacuum-packaged (VP) beef striploins. Microbial populations and microbiome composition were monitored during refrigerated storage (120 days between 0-1.5 °C) and refrigerated-then-frozen storage (28 days between 0-1.5 °C then 92 days at -20 °C) under low-O₂ permeability VP and high-O₂ permeability VP with an antimicrobial (VPAM). Pseudomonas (PSE) and Enterobacteriaceae (EB) counts in VPAM samples were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in VP samples at 28, 45, 90, and 120 days of storage. Microbiome data showed that bacteria of the genera Serratia and Brochothrix were more abundant in VPAM samples at 120 days, while lactic acid bacteria (LAB) dominated in VP samples. Frozen temperatures inhibited microbial growth and maintained a relatively stable microbiome. Refrigerated and frozen VPAM samples showed the greatest difference in the predicted metabolic functions at the end of storage driven by the microbiome composition, dominated by PSE and LAB, respectively. Although no signs of visible meat deterioration were observed in any sample, this study suggests that VP meat refrigerated and then frozen achieved better microbiological indicators at the end of the storage period.

Comparison of physiochemical attributes, microbial community, and flavor profile of beef aged at different temperatures

Beef aging for tenderness and flavor development may be accelerated by elevated temperature. However, little to no research has been undertaken that determines how this affects other important meat quality characteristics and microbial community. This study aims to decrease aging time by increasing temperature. Beef were aged and vacuum packaged at 10 and 15°C, and the effects of increased temperature on meat physiochemical attributes, microbial community, and flavor profile were monitored. The shear force decreased with aging in all temperature and showed the higher rate at elevated temperatures compare to 4°C. The beef aged at elevated temperatures (10 or 15°C) for 5 days showed equivalent shear force value to the beef aged at 4°C for 10 days (p  >  0.05), however, the final tenderness was not affected by the elevated temperature. The beef aged at elevated temperatures showed a significantly higher cooking loss and less color stability compared to 4°C (p  <  0.05). The total volatile basic nitrogen and aerobic plate count increased (p  <  0.05) faster at elevated temperatures compare to 4°C. Carnobacterium, Lactobacillus and Hafnia-Obesumbacterium were the dominant genus in the beef samples aged at 4, 10, and 15°C, respectively. In addition, the contents of isobutyraldehyde, 3-methylbutyraldehyde, 2-methylbutyraldehyde, and 3-methylbutanol were higher than aged at 4°C (p  <  0.05). Therefore, these results suggest that application of elevated aged temperatures could shorten required aging time prior while not adversely affecting meat quality. In turn, this will result in additional cost savings for meat processors.

Olfactory visualization sensor system based on colorimetric sensor array and chemometric methods for high precision assessing beef freshness

Beef is easily spoiled, resulting in foodborne illness and high societal costs. This study proposed a novel olfactory visualization system based on colorimetric sensor array and chemometric methods to detect beef freshness. First, twelve color-sensitive materials were immobilized on a hydrophobic platform to acquire scent information of beef samples according to solvatochromic effects. Second, machine vision algorithms were used to extract the scent fingerprints, and principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to compress the feature dimensions of the fingerprints. Finally, four qualitative models, k-nearest neighbor, extreme learning machine, support vector machine (SVM), and random forest, were constructed to evaluate the beef freshness according to the value of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and total viable counts (TVC). Results demonstrated that SVM had a preferable prediction ability, with 95.83% and 95.00% precision in the training and prediction sets, respectively. The results revealed that the simple constructed olfactory visualization sensor system could rapidly, robustly, and accurately assess beef freshness.

Cold chain relevance in the food safety of perishable products

The food cold chain is an effective tool that allows food markets to maintain food quality and reduce losses. Poor logistics may result in foodborne disease outbreaks and greenhouse gas emissions caused by organic matter decay. The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 makes it necessary to study the chances of SARS-CoV-2 transmissions in food products. This study reviews cold chain logistics as a handy tool for avoiding food safety risks, including COVID-19. The cold chain of perishables and its proper management make it possible to maintain quality and safety at any stage of the food supply chain. The technology covers each link of the food chain to prevent microbial spoilage caused by temperature fluctuations and the contamination with SARS-CoV-2 associated with perishable foods. Given the lack of knowledge in this field in Latin America, the region needs new research to determine the impact of the cold chain on perishable foodstuffs. The perishable cold chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and the national and international markets require new traceability protocols to minimize the effect of COVID-19.

Processing interventions for enhanced microbiological safety of beef carcasses and beef products: A review

Chilled beef is inevitably contaminated with microorganisms, starting from the very beginning of the slaughter line. A lot of studies have aimed to improve meat safety and extend the shelf life of chilled beef, of which some have focused on improving the decontamination effects using traditional decontamination interventions, and others have investigated newer technologies and methods, that offer greater energy efficiency, lower environmental impacts, and better assurances for the decontamination of beef carcasses and cuts. To inform industry, there is an urgent need to review these interventions, analyze the merits and demerits of each technology, and provide insight into 'best practice' to preserve microbial safety and beef quality. In this review, the strategies and procedures used to inhibit the growth of microorganisms on beef, from slaughter to storage, have been critiqued. Critical aspects, where there is a lack of data, have been highlighted to help guide future research. It is also acknowledge that different intervention programs for microbiological safety have different applications, dependent on the initial microbial load, the type of infrastructures, and different stages of beef processing.

Controlled release and antibacterial properties of PEO/casein nanofibers loaded with Thymol/β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes in beef preservation

There are still many limitations in the application of natural active compounds in meat preservation. Herein, thymol was first inserted into the cavity of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to form a stable inclusion complex (THY/β-CD-IC). The computational investigation showed that the optimized complexation energy for THY/β-CD-IC was -12.95 kcal mol^-1. It contributed to the improvement of the thermal stability of thymol in the inclusion compound. Furthermore, the functionalized nanofibers (THY/β-CD-IC-NFs) loaded with THY/β-CD-IC were successfully fabricated by electrospinning of the mixture of casein and polyethylene oxide. When dealing with protease-producing bacteria, controllable release of thymol from THY/β-CD-IC-NFs was achieved through the response of casein to the hydrolysis of bacterial protease. The application results indicated that the prepared THY/β-CD-IC-NFs had a long-term antimicrobial activity for chilled beef preservation during 7-days storage. The information from this study presents a feasible strategy for the development of natural extracts for use in meat preservation.

Dynamics of microbiota in the imported beef primal cuts during storage at different chilled temperatures

Primal cuts of Australian beef transported by sea were stored under different chilled temperatures (0, 2, and 4 °C) for six weeks in different packaging conditions (aerobic or anaerobic packaging). The number of microorganisms and the transition of the microbiota were investigated using culture methods and amplicon sequencing. After six weeks of storage, the beef tended to show a high total viable count under aerobic packaging conditions and a high lactic acid bacteria count under anaerobic packaging conditions. The result of amplicon sequencing analysis showed that different beef samples had different predominant bacterial groups. Moreover, at high storage temperatures, Serratia sp. having high putrefactive activity showed increased abundance, while at low storage temperatures, Lactobacillus sp. showed increased abundance. Thus, differences in the packaging conditions and distribution temperatures after import affect the number of bacteria and the type of microorganisms in the Australian beef primal cuts, which may affect their quality.

A Natural Technology for Vacuum-Packaged Cooked Sausage Preservation with Potentially Postbiotic-Containing Preservative

In this study, a potentially postbiotic-containing preservative (PPCP) was produced in an axenic fermentation system with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DTA 83 as a natural technology alternative for vacuum-packaged cooked sausage preservation. Cooked sausage-related microorganisms were obtained during the induced spoiling process in packages by pair incubation of sausages at different temperatures. The turbidity method was used to determine the microbiota susceptibility to PPCP. A controlled in situ design was performed by adding PPCP on the surface or to the mass of the sausages. Sodium lactate FCC85, which was used according to the manufacturer’s recommendation, was included in the design for comparison. The results revealed that PPCP was as efficient as FCC85, which indicates PPCP as a promising alternative to the use of natural technologies to preserve and develop functional cooked sausages. Moreover, a strategy to use preservatives in vacuum-packaged cooked sausages was presented: the concentration needed to achieve the total inhibition of the microbiota determined by an in vitro trial should be respected when adding PPCP on the sausages’ surface. When adding PPCP to the mass of the sausages, the concentration that showed a partial inhibition in vitro can also be applied in situ.

Volatile Profile of Dry and Wet Aged Beef Loin and Its Relationship with Consumer Flavour Liking

This study investigated the effect of ageing method and ageing time on the volatile profiles of grilled beef striploins (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum) and their relationship with consumer flavour liking. Volatiles were measured in grilled steaks subjected to 35 days of dry ageing, 35 days of wet ageing, 56 days of dry ageing or 56 days of wet ageing, using headspace-solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry was also conducted on 35-day wet and dry aged samples to identify volatiles with high odour impact. The concentration of many odour impact volatiles, e.g., 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline, and various alkyl-pyrazines, was significantly higher in dry aged beef compared to wet aged beef (p < 0.05). Several odour impact volatiles, e.g., 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, and alkyl-pyrazines, decreased significantly with ageing time (p < 0.05), while volatile products of lipid oxidation and microbial metabolism increased with ageing time. Partial least-squares regression analysis showed that the higher consumer flavour liking for 35-day dry aged beef was associated with higher concentrations of desirable odour-active volatiles.

Diving Deep into the Data: A Review of Deep Learning Approaches and Potential Applications in Foodomics

Deep learning is a trending field in bioinformatics; so far, mostly known for image processing and speech recognition, but it also shows promising possibilities for data processing in food analysis, especially, foodomics. Thus, more and more deep learning approaches are used. This review presents an introduction into deep learning in the context of metabolomics and proteomics, focusing on the prediction of shelf-life, food authenticity, and food quality. Apart from the direct food-related applications, this review summarizes deep learning for peptide sequencing and its context to food analysis. The review’s focus further lays on MS (mass spectrometry)-based approaches. As a result of the constant development and improvement of analytical devices, as well as more complex holistic research questions, especially with the diverse and complex matrix food, there is a need for more effective methods for data processing. Deep learning might offer meeting this need and gives prospect to deal with the vast amount and complexity of data.

Total volatile basic nitrogen and trimethylamine in muscle foods: Potential formation pathways and effects on human health

The use of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) as a quality parameter for fish is rapidly growing to include other types of meat. Investigations of meat quality have recently focused on TVB-N as an index of freshness, but little is known on the biochemical pathways involved in its generation. Furthermore, TVB-N and methylated amines have been reported to exert deterimental health effects, but the relationship between these compounds and human health has not been critically reviewed. Here, literature on the formative pathways of TVB-N has been reviewed in depth. The association of methylated amines and human health has been critically evaluated. Interventions to mitigate the effects of TVB-N on human health are discussed. TVB-N levels in meat can be influenced by the diet of an animal, which calls for careful consideration when using TVB-N thresholds for regulatory purposes. Bacterial contamination and temperature abuse contribute to significant levels of post-mortem TVB-N increases. Therefore, controlling spoilage factors through a good level of hygiene during processing and preservation techniques may contribute to a substantial reduction of TVB-N. Trimethylamine (TMA) constitutes a significant part of TVB-N. TMA and trimethylamine oxide (TMA-N-O) have been related to the pathogenesis of noncommunicable diseases, including atherosclerosis, cancers, and diabetes. Proposed methods for mitigation of TMA and TMA-N-O accumulation are discussed, which include a reduction in their daily dietary intake, control of internal production pathways by targeting gut microbiota, and inhibition of flavin monooxygenase 3 enzymes. The levels of TMA and TMA-N-O have significant health effects, and this should, therefore, be considered when evaluating meat quality and acceptability. Agreed international values for TVB-N and TMA in meat products are required. The role of feed, gut microbiota, and translocation of methylated amines to muscles in farmed animals requires further investigation.

The association between total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) concentration and other biomarkers of quality and spoilage for vacuum packaged beef

Beef longissimus lumborum muscles (24) were each portioned into 6 steaks, and these were held at ~0.5 °C for up to 14 weeks. Total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) data was compared against other measures of quality and freshness: total viable microbial count (TVC), ultimate pH, drip loss, purge, moisture content, cook loss, shear force, particle size, vitamin E, intramuscular fat content (IMF) and colour parameters. There was an association between TVB-N and colour parameters; and between TVB-N and several parameters for microbial load, tenderness and moisture. IMF and vitamin E were not correlated to TVB-N. TVB-N of 5.1 mg/100 g (95% confidence intervals: 4.6-5.5 mg/100 g) was estimated as equivalent to a TVC of log 7 cfu/g. When beef samples were categorised as either spoilt or fresh using this TVC recommendation, TVB-N was correct in 77.9% of its assignments. Additional investigation is necessary to confirm this result against a larger sample population with a broader range of TVB-N values.

Rapid Evaporative Ionization Mass Spectrometry: A Review on Its Application to the Red Meat Industry with an Australian Context

The red meat supply chain is a complex network transferring product from producers to consumers in a safe and secure way. There can be times when fragmentation can arise within the supply chain, which could be exploited. This risk needs reduction so that meat products enter the market with the desired attributes. Rapid Evaporative Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (REIMS) is a novel ambient mass spectrometry technique originally developed for rapid and accurate classification of biological tissue which is now being considered for use in a range of additional applications. It has subsequently shown promise for a range of food provenance, quality and safety applications with its ability to conduct ex vivo and in situ analysis. These are regarded as critical characteristics for technologies which can enable real-time decision making in meat processing plants and more broadly throughout the sector. This review presents an overview of the REIMS technology, and its application to the areas of provenance, quality and safety to the red meat industry, particularly in an Australian context.

Volatile and non-volatile metabolite changes in 140-day stored vacuum packaged chilled beef and potential shelf life markers

During storage of vacuum packaged chilled beef (VPCB), lactic acid bacteria become the dominant microflora, facilitating an extended shelf life. However, at some point, (bio)chemical and organoleptic changes render the meat unacceptable. In this investigation we evaluated volatile and non-volatile metabolite changes in VPCB after 84-, 98-, 120- and 140-days storage at ~ - 1 °C. After 140-days storage, the sensory, volatile and non-volatile data did not indicate spoilage. Minimal changes in volatile signatures of collected weep and on raw and grilled steaks were measured. Changes in selected non-volatile components indicated increased proteolysis (free amino acids, carnosine) and changes in organic acids (lactic, succinic) and nucleotide metabolism. Rapid volatile profiling using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry showed a clear progression of changes in selected compounds over the storage period. An increased concentration of ethanol and other compounds between 120 and 140 days, suggested that volatile changes may be a useful objective indicator of extended storage VPCB quality.

Shipping and storage temperature logger datasets for extended shelf life vacuum packaged chilled beef in the Chinese supply chain

This article contains temperature logger datasets obtained for refrigerated cartons of Australian vacuum packaged chilled beef stored under near ideal conditions (∼- 1 °C) in Australia (CONTROL) and shipped via land and sea to three destinations in China (China-1, China-2, China-3) described in detail previously [1]. Cartons were stored for 84, 98, 120 and 140 days postslaughter. Temperature data were acquired during shipping and storage using i-buttons (Thermocron-TCS, Baulkham Hills, Australia) and LogTags (TRIX-16, LogTag Australia, Baulkham Hills, Australia).