CHANGES IN COLOR OF BEEF M-LONGISSIMUS DORSI MUSCLE DURING AGING

The effects of vacuum packaging, chilling rate (slow or fast), and fat cover thickness (less than or equal to 4 mm or 7-8 mm) on the colour parameters of beef m. longissimus dorsi muscle were assessed during ag eing. The m. longissimus dorsi muscle was aged on the carcass or in va cuum packaging. Muscle samples for analysis were taken on days 0 (24 h r post mortem), 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 to ascertain the parameters. Ageing time influenced all colour parameters, while chilling rate affected l ightness ('L'), yellowness ('b'), and hue angle difference (HD), and f at cover thickness influenced 'L' and 'b' only.