Color improvement of kosher beef using sodium ascorbate and erythorbate

The koshering process involves soaking meat in water followed by massive su rface salting and rinsing to remove the salt. This process causes undesirab le discoloration during storage at 4C, as compared to nonkosher beef(P <0.0 1). Beef steaks were dipped into sodium ascorbate (SA) or erythorbate (SE) solutions for various rime periods. Untreated steaks, from the same cut, se rved as controls. All samples were packaged into modified atmospheres of 65 % 0, and 35% CO2. The color of sample was observed periodically during illu minated storage at 4C. The typical red color was maintained at 4C for up to 21 days when the meat was dipped for 1 min in a 2 or 4% SE solution (pH 6. 5), packaged in 65% O-2 and 35% CO2, while the controls showed severe disco loration after 2 to 3 days. The treatment with SE had also a positive effec t in reducing initial total microbial counts by 1.5 log CFU/g.