Effect of vacuum ageing on quality changes of lamb steaks from early fattening lambs during aerobic display

• Color stability of vacuum aged vs. fresh lamb (early fattening lambs) was compared.
• Color of vacuum aged lamb was less stable at display in spite of its higher initial redness.
• Color acceptance at display correlated to L* for fresh and L* and a* for aged lamb.
• L* and a* values ≥ 42 and 7, respectively, are required for consumers' color acceptance.

The effects of vacuum ageing on the quality changes of lamb steaks during retail display were assessed. Biceps femoris and Quadriceps femoris muscles from thirty early fattening lambs fed barley straw and concentrate or alfalfa and concentrate were used. Half of the muscles were vacuum aged for three weeks (VA), and the other half were not aged (control). Control and VA muscles were sliced and aerobically displayed. Weight loss, pH, aldehyde contents, instrumental color characteristics and color acceptance were measured at display days 1, 3, 7 and 14. At day 1 redness was higher in VA lamb. However, redness of VA lamb decreases more rapidly during further storage. Redness and color acceptance decreased in VA lamb from day 3, whereas in not-aged lamb the decrease was observed from day 7 onwards. From days 7 to 14 a drop of color acceptance accompanied by an increase in pH and a decrease in lightness was observed in control and VA lamb.