Color and Oxidative Properties of Irradiated Whole Muscle Beef1

The effects of two doses (2.0 and 3.5 kG'y) of nonradioactive irradiation on color and oxidative properties were determined and compared to nonirradiated controls for frozen and chilled vacuum‐packaged boneless beef steaks. The chilled steaks were repackaged in oxygen‐permeable film 14 days after irradiation. Irradiation up to 3.5 kGy had minimal effects on color and oxidative rancidity and significantly reduced bacterial counts of frozen and chilled, vacuum‐packaged, beef steaks stored and/or displayed for up to 28 days. Irradiated steaks that were rewrapped in permeable film were microbially acceptable at 5 days of display and had more color stabiliry than the controls. Although no differences in TBA numbers between dose levels were observed for chilled steaks rewrapped in permeable film, these steaks had a TBA number of 2.1 after 5 days of retail display compared to 0.2 for vacuum‐packaged steaks displayed for 14 days.