Integrated Assessment of Shelf-Life in Ground Beef and Poultry Parts: Microbiological, Physicochemical, and Gas Sensor Analyses

In recent years, there has been an increased demand on meat quality and safety. The shelf-life of a food product is defined as the period during which it remains acceptable for consumption based on sensory, nutritional, and safety criteria. Traditional methods to evaluate shelf life are often destructive, time consuming and needs laboratory processing. Emerging technologies like gas sensors have become important in assessing product freshness providing real time data. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of ground beef from five different formulations and air-chilled poultry parts, and evaluate the relationship of analytical measurements (microbiological, color, and volatile organic compounds) with water-soluble gas sensors. Ground beef was produced from five different least-cost source materials and 1lb loaves were placed on styrofoam trays and overwrap with PVC film. Trays were placed in a motherbag with tri gas (CO, CO2, N2) and stored under dark storage before reatail display for 6 days. Poultry parts (wings and tenders) were placed on a stryofoam tray and overwrapped with PVC film for retail display of 6 days. Samples were analyzed for aerobic counts, Enterobacteriaceae, lactic acid bacteria, and psychrotrophic aerobic bacteria. As well as instrumental and color evaluation, and finally volatile organic compounds. No significant differences were found between the five formulations of ground beef. Poultry parts exhibited differences in color due to the nature of the product. Gas sensor relationship demonstrated low to high relationship depending on the analytical measured.