Effect of varying the gas headspace to meat ratio on the quality and shelf-life of beef steaks packaged in high oxygen modified atmosphere packs

• Fresh beef packaged in gas headspace to meat ratios of 2:1, 1:1 and 0.5:1
• Gas headspace to meat ratio did not affect beef quality parameters.
• The sensory quality of beef stored in ratios of 2:1 or 1:1 was similar.
• The sensory properties of beef stored in a ratio of 0.5:1 were unacceptable.

Beef steaks (M. longissimus dorsi) were stored in modified atmosphere packs (MAP) (80% O2:20% CO2) with gas headspace to meat ratios of 2:1, 1:1 and 0.5:1 for 14 days at 4 °C. The pH, surface colour, texture and microbiology of beef steaks were unaffected (P > 0.05) by varying the gas headspace to meat ratio. APLSR (ANOVA-partial least squares regression) and jack-knife uncertainty testing indicated that lipid oxidation (TBARS) was significantly positively correlated with days 10 (P < 0.05) and 14 (P < 0.001) of storage. Chemical and sensory detection of lipid oxidation in beef steaks were in agreement on day 14 of storage. The sensory quality and acceptability of beef steaks were similar in gas headspace to meat ratios of 2:1 or 1:1 and unacceptable in 0.5:1. Results indicate that pack size and gas volume can be reduced without negatively affecting fresh beef quality and shelf-life.