Effect of storage temperatures and time on shelf-life of sliced and modified atmosphere packaged pastirma, a dried meat product, produced from beef

The effects of modified atmosphere on some physical, chemical and microbiological properties of sliced pastirma made from beef Longissimus dorsi muscle were investigated. Sliced-pastirma samples (moisture 43.65 +/- 0.15%, pH 5.71 +/- 0.02) were stored in modified atmosphere packages (50% N-2 + 50% CO2) at 4 and 10 degrees C for 150 days. The storage period had a significant effect (p < 0.01) on moisture, pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, free fatty acid, non-protein nitrogen, water-soluble nitrogen, colour values and total aerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria and Micrococcus/Staphylococcus counts. The storage temperatures (4 and 10 degrees C) also had a significant effect (p < 0.01) on moisture, pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive subctances, free fatty acid, water soluble nitrogen, a* values, total aerobic bacteria lactic acid bacteria, and Micrococcus/Staphylococcus counts. It was determined that the storage period x the storage temperature interactions had a significant (p < 0.01) effect on the values of pH, a* and the counts of total aerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus. It was also observed that the yeast and mold count was the highest in the first storage period and decreased throughout storage. Enterobacteriaceae count was also below the detectable level (< 2.00 cfu g(-1)) throughout the storage period. (c) 2005 Society of Chemical Industry.