Abstract This study examined the color changes of packaged beef due to the effects of carbon monoxide exposure before vacuum packing and storage time, as well as consumers’ evaluations of that beef. In the experiment, 400 striploin steaks (M. longissimus dorsi) were vacuum packed or after 48 hours of exposure to different concentrations of CO (0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%) vacuum packed. The color measurements and consumer evaluations were conducted after 7, 10, 14, 17, and 21 days of storage in the dark at 2 ± 1 °C. Consumers evaluated the color, surface discoloration, attractiveness, and their willingness to buy the meat. The results showed that regardless of storage time, the color parameters (L*, a*, b*, C*) were significantly higher for the steaks vacuum packed after exposure to carbon monoxide in comparison to those packaged in a vacuum without the use of CO. Based on the consumer evaluations, the most attractive steaks were those that had been exposed to 0.3% and 0.5% CO, which were characterized by bright red or cherry-red colors. Consumers did not accept the appearance of steaks packaged without the carbon monoxide pretreatment. Exposing meat to CO before packaging allows to obtain the attractive color of vacuum packed beef.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência da raça e da adição de substâncias bioativas à forragem sobre a cor do lombo defumado de porco. Foram avaliados: duas raças de porcos (Landrace Polonesa e o cruzamento Landrace Polonesa x Duroc), três tipos de componentes bioativos (selênio orgânico; 2% de óleo de canola e 1% de óleo de linhaça; 2% de óleo de linhaça e 1% de óleo de canola) e um tratamento controle. A análise de imagem por computador incluiu a avaliação da cor dos tecidos muscular, gorduroso e conjuntivo e da superfície defumada do lombo. Na raça Landrace Polonesa, a suplementação com selênio promoveu aumento dos valores das cores vermelha, verde e azul do tecido muscular, que foram inferiores no cruzamento Landrace Polonesa x Duroc. Contudo, não foram observadas diferenças significativas nas cores do tecido gorduroso do lombo da raça Landrace Polonesa em razão da suplementação com selênio. No caso da suplementação com óleos, os valores das cores integrantes do tecido muscular também foram inferiores no cruzamento Landrace Polonesa x Duroc. As cores integrantes dos tecidos muscular, gorduroso e conjuntivo e da superfície defumada do lombo dependem da raça dos porcos e das substâncias biotivas acrescentadas à forragem.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the breed and of the addition of bioactive substances to forage on the color of smoked pork loin. Two pig breeds (Polish Landrace and the crossbreed Polish Landrace x Duroc), three types of bioactive components (organic selenium; 2% of canola oil and 1% of flaxseed oil; and 2% of flaxseed oil and 1% of canola oil), and a control treatment were evaluated. Computer image analysis included the color assessment of muscle, fat, connective tissues, and smoked loin surface. For Polish Landrace, selenium supplementation caused higher values of red, green, and blue color components of the muscle tissue, which were lower for the crossbreed. However, there was no difference in the color components of loin fat tissue of the Polish Landrace breed due to selenium supplementation. In the case of oil supplementation, values of the color components of the muscle tissue for the Polish Landrace x Duroc crossbreed were also lower. The color components of muscle, fat, connective tissues, and smoked loin surface depend on the pig breed and on the bioactive compounds added to the forage.