Effects of ascorbic acid, rosemary, and Origanox™ in preventing bone marrow discoloration in beef lumbar vertebrae in aerobic and anaerobic packaging systems

J P Grobbel; M E Dikeman; E J Yancey; J S Smith; D H Kropf; G A Milliken

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.06.002

Effects of ascorbic acid, rosemary, and Origanox™ in preventing bone marrow discoloration in beef lumbar vertebrae in aerobic and anaerobic packaging systems

Meat Sci. 2006 Jan;72(1):47-56. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.06.002. Epub 2005 Jul 27.

Authors

J P Grobbel¹, M E Dikeman, E J Yancey, J S Smith, D H Kropf, G A Milliken

Affiliation

¹ Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, 226 Weber Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States.

PMID: 22061373
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.06.002

Abstract

Treatments of 1.25% or 2.5% ascorbic acid (AA); 0.1% or 0.2% rosemary; or a combination of 0.15% Origanox™+0.3% AA on beef lumbar vertebrae (n=72) were evaluated for their effectiveness in preventing bone discoloration in retail packages. Vertebrae were held either 6 or 14d postmortem; cut into 2.54-cm sections; and packaged into either polyvinyl chloride film overwrap (PVC), high-oxygen (80% O(2)/20% CO(2)) modified-atmosphere packages (MAP), or ultra-low-oxygen (70% N(2)/30% CO(2)) MAP. Controls and vertebrae treated with 0.1% or 0.2% rosemary discolored significantly, whereas 0.15% Origanox™+0.3% AA was effective through d 2 of display in PVC and high-oxygen MAP. In both high- and ultra-low-oxygen MAP, 1.25% AA was as effective as 2.5% AA in preventing bone discoloration. Vertebrae treated with AA or packaged in ultra-low-oxygen MAP had the largest a* values over display time. Bone discoloration was effectively prevented with AA, especially at the 2.5% concentration.