Extension of shelf‐life of chilled sliced roast beef by carbon dioxide packaging

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Abstract
Summary: Commercially prepared sliced roast beef in conventional vacuum and oxygen‐free saturated carbon dioxide controlled atmosphere packs was stored at + 10°C + 3°C and ‐ 1.5°C. the development of foreign flavours during chilled storage resulted in product rejection before the development of putrid flavours characteristic of overt microbial spoilage. the nature of these foreign flavour elements reflected the qualitative composition of the microflora developing on the roast beef slices with ‘sharply acidic’ associated with Lactobacillus‐domimted flora and ‘sweaty’ occurring when these flora, contained significnat numbers of Brochothrix thermosphacta. Product in vacuum packs was rejected on sensory criteria by a trained panel after 3 days, 3 weeks and 8 weeks for storage at + 10°C, + 3°C and ‐ 1.5°C, respectively. At these temperatures, in oxygen‐free saturated carbon dioxide controlled atmosphere packaging, rejection levels were not attained after 4 days, 10 weeks and 16 weeks respectively.