Colour stability of beef from different Spanish native cattle breeds stored under vacuum and modified atmosphere

Beef steaks from five Spanish cattle breeds were submitted to three packagi ng conditions: (a) 15 days under vacuum, (b) 15 days under modified atmosph ere (MAP) (60% O-2, 30% CO2 and 10% N-2), and (c) 10 days under vacuum plus 5 days more under MAP. CIE L*a*b* coordinates, chroma (C*) and hue (H*), r elative concentration of myoglobin, oxymyoglobin and metmyoglobin at the me at surface and sensory evaluation of colour were determined 0, 5, 10 and 15 days after packaging. Beef under MAP showed higher lightness (L*) and hue (H*) and lower redness (a*) and chroma (C*) than beef under vacuum. Colour of beef under MAP was not acceptable after 15 days of storage, due to the h igh metmyoglobin concentration. Yellowness (b*) was the indicator of differ ences due to ageing and differences in colour between breeds were related t o LI, a* and H* values. Packaging conditions had a greater effect on beef c olour than breed, but breed differences might change with packaging atmosph ere. Both packaging and breed are major factors in packaged beef quality. ( C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.