The shelf life of ground chicken and turkey meat packaged under a modified
atmosphere containing O-2 and a high level of CO2 (62% CO2, 8% O-2, and 30%
N-2; gas-1), or a gas mixture without O-2 (20% CO2 and 80% N-2; gas-2) was
evaluated for 20 d at 1 C. Meat pack aged under gas-2 maintained a higher
a* value (redness) throughout the experiment and generally had a more appea
ling color than the meat packaged using gas-1. Microbial populations were a
ssessed after 8, 12, and 15 d of storage. Total aerobic mesophilic counts w
ere higher in chicken meat than in turkey throughout storage. Coliforms and
Escherichia coli counts were lower in meat packaged under gas-1. After 15
d of storage at 1 C, Brochothrix thermosphacta was detected only in ground
chicken meat packaged using gas-2. Meat packaged under the gas mixtures tes
ted had similar counts for presumptive pseudomonads, Staphylococcus aureus,
and lactic acid bacteria. These results indicate that an appropriate gas m
ixture can maintain a desirable color in ground poultry meat but offers no
guarantees with respect to the microbial profile of meat.