Retardation of Oxidative Color Changes in Raw Ground Beef

SUMMARY— Ascorbic acid plus either BHA or PG effectively retarded both lipid and pigment oxidation in raw ground beef for up to 8 days of refrigerator storage in oxygen‐permeable film. Both trained and consumer‐type panels judged the additive‐treated meat to be significantly better than controls. Percent metmyoglobin was found to be a useful objective measurement of color in raw beef, but total pigment concentration did not provide an adequate evaluation of color. Treatment with these additives did not appear to mask bacterial spoilage.