THE EFFECT OF PACKAGE LEAKAGE ON THE SHELF-LIFE OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKED MINCED MEAT STEAKS AND ITS DETECTION

The effect of leaking on the quality and leak detection in modified at mosphere packages of chilled minced meat steaks were studied. Leaks of various sizes were made experimentally with tungsten thread and packa ges were stored for 5 weeks at +5 degrees C or +10 degrees C. The resu lts indicated that the microbial counts in minced meat steaks increase d with increasing leak size at the storage temperature of +5 degrees C , but not at +10 degrees C, where temperature became a more important factor for microbial growth than the rate of the leakage studied. At b oth temperatures, the sensory quality of minced meal steaks was better maintained in packages with capillary leaks the diameter and length o f which were 69 and 3000 mu m and 169 mu m and 3000 mu m, respectively , than in intact packages or in packages with capillary or pinhole lea ks the diameter and length of which were 270 and 3000 mu m or 65 and 7 0 mu m, respectively. The packages stored at +10 degrees C contained a coloured redox indicator, which was very useful and reliable in the m onitoring of those leaking packages which were poor in quality.