Effect of enhanced fluorescent light on acceptability of meat cuts

The effects of incandescent (INC) and two enhanced fluorescent lights: high-spectrum (FL-Hi Spec) and Chroma 50 (FL-Chroma 50) oil the appearance of fresh pork, chicken and beef meat were investigated. The color of all meats was more desirable (P < 0.05) when presented under INC and FL-Hi Spec lights. The color used to describe pork meat presented under these two lights was mainly pink, but was more brown under FL-Chroma 50. Relative luminance data, collected with a fiber optic probe connected to a photo diode array, demonstrated the reason for the lower amount of red in the FL-Chroma 50 light source. The differences among the lights were more pronounced in the lighter pork and chicken cuts than in the darker beef cuts.