Integrative Evaluation of Oxidative Changes, Microbial Dynamics, and Quality Deterioration in Fresh Beef During Refrigerated Storage

The temporal relationship between oxidative processes and microbial succession during aerobic cold storage has not been quantitatively characterized. We hypothesized that oxidation dominates early-stage quality loss, while microbial proliferation drives later-stage deterioration, with the two processes being temporally associated. This study investigated the patterns and mechanisms of quality deterioration in fresh beef stored under aerobic conditions at 4 °C for 10 days. Through comprehensive analysis of microbial communities (via high-throughput sequencing, total viable counts, and TVB-N), oxidation indicators (including TBARS, carbonyl compounds, sulfhydryl content, MetMb content, etc.), and quality characteristics (color, texture, and flavor), strong temporal and quantitative associations were observed. Early-stage quality loss was primarily associated with oxidative processes, as evidenced by a rapid decrease in redness. Meanwhile, later-stage deterioration, particularly flavor and texture decline, was strongly correlated with microbial proliferation, notably the dominance of Pseudomonas spp. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that lipid and protein oxidation were significantly associated with microbial total viable counts and changes in key volatile spoilage markers. The results indicate that oxidative and microbial activities are closely associated with beef quality decline, with oxidation mainly associated with color deterioration and microbial activity more strongly associated with flavor changes. These findings demonstrate close associations between co-oxidation processes, microbial succession, and beef quality deterioration, providing a quantitative basis for developing targeted, stage-specific preservation strategies.