Display, Packaging, and Meat Block Location Effects on Color and Lipid Oxidation of Frozen Lean Ground Beef

Ground beef chuck (15% fat) was packaged (500g) in vacuum bags, Saran Wrap TM overwrapped with aluminum foil or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), exposed to retail display light (4°C) for 24 hr and then held frozen (−18°C) for 52 wk. Instrumental and visual color of PVC‐packaged beef was affected most by display and by frozen storage. During frozen storage, as oxygen permeability of packaging material increased, TBA, visual brownness, and metmyoglobin increased while visual redness, acceptability, a* value, red color contributed by oxyrnyoglobin, and deoxymyoglobin decreased. Location on the meat block (exterior vs interior) affected (p<0.05) visual red and brown color, lightness, and acceptability, L*, a*, and b*, and TBA values.