Effect of modified atmosphere packaging on the microbiological and sensory quality on a dry cured beef product: "Cecina de león".

The aim of this study was to investigate the shelf-life of commercial "Cecina de León" (CL) packaged in vacuum (VP) and in CO(2)/N(2) atmospheres (20/80% CO(2)/N(2) and 80/20% CO(2)/N(2)). Packaged product was stored at 6°C, measuring microbiological, physico-chemical and sensory parameters during 210 days. The values obtained for mesophilic aerobic, anaerobic and psychrotrophic counts did not vary in both the vacuum and the gas packaged samples after 210 days of storage. Enterobacteria and enterococci were always below the detection limit, and in the gas-packaged CL, pseudomonad numbers were significantly inhibited. No changes were observed in the counts of the typical microflora of CL (Lactic Acid Bacteria, yeasts and moulds and Micrococcaceae) up to 210 days and no differences (p>0.05) were found between the counts in the VP and in the gas-packaged samples. A pronounced initial fading was observed in redness (a(∗)) within the first 15 days in the VP samples and within the second month in the gas-packaged samples attributed to the presence of white film on surface of CL portions. No differences were observed (p>0.05) in texture parameters evaluated between packaging methods during storage, and the values found are within the range for CL not packaged. The sensory properties of CL stored in 20/80% CO(2)/N(2) were slightly less acceptable than the samples packed under vacuum and under 80/20% CO(2)/N(2) at 210 days of storage. It is concluded that no clear advantage of the gas packaging was observed compared to the VP of "Cecina de León".