Changes in the sensory properties of beef stored under different modified atmospheres

The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensory properties of musculus longissimus lumborum (LL) collected from Holstein-Friesian Black-and-White (HF BW) bulls and stored for 7, 14 and 21 days under different modified atmospheres (MA): vacuum, 80% O2 + 20% CO2, 60% O2 + 30% CO2 + 10% N2, 40% CO2 + 60% N2, 30% CO2 + 70% Ar. Meat stored for 21 days in MA containing 80% O2 was more susceptible to undesirable changes in colour. The aroma of raw meat, evaluated immediately after the package was opened, changed throughout storage. Beef stored in MA containing O2 scored lower for taste evaluated after thermal treatment. The juiciness and tenderness of beef improved during storage, and the highest scores for those attributes were assigned after 21 days of vacuum storage. A decrease in Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) values and a corresponding increase in tenderness, point to the tenderization of beef regardless of storage conditions.