Evaluation of Shipping Factors to Increase the Profitability of Meat E‐Commerce

ABSTRACT This study aimed to identify the impact of multiple shipping factors on beef quality attributes. Boneless striploins ( n = 5) were wet‐aged to 28 d postmortem, cut into 2.54 cm thick steaks, and randomly assigned to 32 different shipping treatments, representing combinations of six two‐level factors: (1) Shipping Container Type (Polystyrene‐Foam vs. Biodegradable), (2) Coolant Type (Icepacks vs. Dry‐ice), (3) Ambient Temperature (Hot vs. Cold), (4) Shipping duration (1 Day vs. 3 Days), (5) Coolant Load (20% vs. 40%), and (6) Filler Usage (Filler vs. No‐filler). Each steak was vacuum‐packaged, frozen at –20°C and subjected to simulated shipping conditions. Samples were analyzed for pH, odor, color, cook loss, shear force, lipid oxidation, and microbial concentration. The experiment was replicated 3 times. The results indicated that ambient temperature, filler usage, and shipping duration had significant effects on meat quality ( p < 0.05). Coolant and container types were significant only when combined with other factors ( p < 0.05). Samples shipped in Hot and 3Days were observed to have higher ( p < 0.05) microbial concentrations than their respective counterparts. Greater redness was observed in meat samples shipped with fillers than those without ( p < 0.05). The results indicated that ambient temperature and shipping duration greatly influenced the meat quality attributes and suggested opportunities to optimize shipping practices for consumer use.