Shelf‐life Study of Retort Pouch Black Bean and Rice Burrito Combat Rations Packaged at Selected Residual Gas Levels

Black bean and rice burrito meal‐ready‐to‐eat individual‐size (MRE's) entrées were retorted in flexible pouches with four residual gas levels (10, 20, 30, 40 cm3) and stored at three temperatures (4.4, 26.7 and 37.8C). Storage temperature was more influential upon quality than residual gas beyond one month of storage. Physicochemical and trained sensory analyses demonstrated that burritos stored at 37.8C darkened over time, but burritos stored at 4.4 and 26.7C did not. Untrained consumers gave lower scores to burritos stored at 37.8C, which were dull, dark, dry, and compressed, than to burritos stored at 4.4C, which were glossy, light, sticky and moist throughout storage. Burrito shelf‐life exceeded 6 months at 4.4C, but was limited to less than 3 months at 37.8C. Residual gas levels in black bean and rice burrito MRE's need not be specified as long as levels are maintained between 10–40 cm3.