The role of oxygen in the microbial spoilage of luncheon meat cooked in a plastic casing

Abstract
The shelf life at 25°C of chub‐packed luncheon meat was inversely related to oxygen (O2) availability within the casing. With fibrous casings that are freely permeable to O2, shelf life was less than 3 d. With plastic casings of low O2 permeability, the shelf life was 7 d when air was trapped in the emulsion during the casing filling process, 14 d when air was not trapped (normal vacuum‐stuffing) and greater than 28 d when vacuum‐stuffed chubs were stored in hydrogen (H2). The initial spoilage bacteria, Bacillus spp., grew only at the surface unless air was trapped in the emulsion when growth occurred throughout the luncheon meat. Bacillus spp. failed to grow on luncheon meat stored under H2. Oxygen availability within the casing determined both the site and rate of microbial spoilage of chub‐packed luncheon meat.

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