Packaging venison for extended chilled storage: Comparison of vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging containing 100% carbon dioxide

Thirty red deer (Cervus elaphus) stags were slaughtered at three deer slaughter premises (plants A, B, and C) to determine the effects of initial microbial flora on the quality of chilled venison loins stored using three packaging methods: vacuum packaging (VP), modified atmosphere packaging using an ultrahigh barrier outer barrier film (CO2-UHB), and modified atmosphere packaging using a dual aluminized polyethylene outer barrier film (CO2-MPET), all of which were stored for 6, 12, and 18 weeks at -1 +/- 3 degrees C. Carcasses slaughtered in plant B had higher aerobic plate counts than those killed at either plants A or C. Location of slaughter had little effect on loin quality except for drip loss, pH and anaerobic and lactic acid bacteria counts. Oxygen levels increased in the modified atmosphere packages (P less than 0.05) during storage from 12 to 18 weeks (CO2-UHB, 1%; CO2-MPET, 0.05%). Loins packaged in CO2-UHB exhibited less acceptable surface color than meat packaged in CO2-MPET or VP. Aroma, flavor, texture, and acceptability scores decreased (P less than 0.05) when loins were stored over 12 weeks regardless of packaging method. pH values of loins packaged in modified atmosphere packs were lower (P less than 0.05) than those in VP. The regression relationship between percent drip loss and pH was given by % drip = 39.1 -6.49 [Standard error (SE) 1.52] pH. Acceptable display color of steaks cut from the loins, regardless of treatment, decreased as loins were stored from 6 to 18 weeks. These results suggest that vacuum packaged venison loins resulted in meat of acceptable quality after 12 and 18 weeks of chilled storage, and that modified atmosphere packaging contributed no additional benefit.