Flavor, Texture, Color, and Hexanal and TBA Values of Frozen Cooked Beef Packaged in Modified Atmosphere

Cooked beef loin slices were packaged with (1) vacuum, (2) 80% N 2 and 20% CO 2 gas mixture, or (3) air and stored at ‐20°C for 11 wk. Modified packaging of cooked beef improved flavor and odor. After storage and reheating, flavor and aroma of samples in vacuum and N 2 /CO 2 packages were more meaty, less warmed‐over, less cardboardy, and less oxidized and had lower TBA, less hexanal, and less pentanal than those in air‐containing packages. Textural properties of beef were unaffected by packaging treatments. Vacuum‐packaged beef slices had higher HunterLab a values than those in N 2 /CO 2 and air packages.