Sodium lactate and storage temperature effects on shelf life of vacuum packaged beef top rounds

Cooked, vacuum-packaged beef top rounds containing up to 4% sodium lactate (NaL) in the final product were stored at 0, 4, 10 or 16 degrees C for 1, 7 , 14 or 21 days. Aerobic plate counts (APCs) were lower for roasts containi ng 3 or 4% NaL and stored at 10 degrees C for 7 days. At higher temperature s and longer storage times, only those treated with 4% NaL were lower than controls. Lipid oxidation, Hunter LX and b* values decreased and Hunter a* values, cooked yields and Ph increased with NaL addition. Beefy odor decrea sed with storage but was higher in roasts containing NaL. Roasts with added NaL had lower rancid odor scores. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.