Comparison of new and modern lighting technologies on ground beef color

Abstract Text:

Meat color is the most important factor that drives consumer purchasing decisions. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of two different light sources on oxidation that causes color change in ground beef from the conversion of oxymyoglobin (MbO₂) to metmyoglobin (MMb) in a controlled environment. Top rounds (n = 20) were ground at two different fat levels (5 and 25%) and made into patties (113.4 g). Patties were assigned to one of three lighting treatments (low UV fluorescent, Light Emitting Diode [LED], and no light [negative control]) within temperature controlled deli cases at 5 ^oC. Patties were removed on storage days 1, 3, 5, and 7 of storage. Utilizing a Hunter MiniScan 4500L, objective color measurements L*, a*, and b* were utilized to determine relative myoglobin variant concentrations as a measure of myoglobin oxidation. Means were separated using the GLIMMIX function of SAS with differences determined at P<0.05. Objective color measurement for redness, a*, decreased for all light treatments by storage day (P<0.0001) where storage day 1 > 3 > 5 >7, respectively. Oxymyoglobin values for all light treatments decreased daily (P<0.0001) but showed no differences among treatments until day 5 where no light > LED > FLO with means of 57.52, 56.75, and 55.94%, respectively. Inversely, MMb values increased daily (P<0.0001) but showed no differences among treatments until day 5 where FLO > LED > no light with means of 41.70, 40.10, and 38.96%, respectively. In this study, no light was the superior display lighting; however, on storage day 5 LED had more desirable MbO₂ and less MMb than LED. Indicating that LED a* and MbO₂ values were more similar to patties treated with no light than FLO treated patties. 

Keywords:

ground beef, color, lighting, myoglobin