Comparison of Milk Mineral, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, and Vitamin E as Antioxidants in Ground Beef in 80% Oxygen Modified Atmosphere Packaging

The antioxidant effects of milk mineral (MM), sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), and vitamin E (E) were tested in raw ground beef packaged in 80% O 2 modified atmosphere packaging, and held 1, 4, 7, or 14 d at 2 °C. Two levels of each antioxidant (0.75% and 1.5% MM, 0.25% and 0.5% STP, 50 or 100 ppm E) were compared with control samples without added antioxidants. Vitamin E was mixed with mineral oil or ethanol before mixing with meat samples. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values were highest ( P < 0.05) in controls without antioxidants, and samples with added vitamin E. Lowest TBA values (<0.5) were in samples treated with 0.75% or 1.5% milk mineral. All ground beef samples maintained redness ( a * > 10) through 4 d of storage. By day 7, ground beef treatments with added E were brown. After 14 d, ground beef with 0.75% MM was more red ( P < 0.05) than other treatments or controls. Thus, 0.75% MM has possible application to prolong red color stability and inhibit lipid oxidation in ground beef packaged in high oxygen atmospheres.