Potential of a simple HPLC-based approach for the identification of the spoilage status of minced beef stored at various temperatures and packaging systems

• Published in: International journal of food microbiology Vol. 150; no. 1; pp. 25 - 33
• Main Authors: Argyri, Anthoula A., Doulgeraki, Agapi I., Blana, Vasiliki A., Panagou, Efstathios Z., Nychas, George-John E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 17.10.2011
• Subjects: Active packaging; Animals; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - growth & development; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bioinformatics; Brochothrix thermosphacta; Cattle; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Colony Count, Microbial; Enterobacteriaceae; Essential oil; Food Microbiology; Food Packaging - methods; Food Preservation - methods; HPLC; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Meat - microbiology; Meat spoilage; Metabolomics; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Origanum; Origanum - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Pseudomonas; Temperature; Yeasts - drug effects; Yeasts - growth & development; Yeasts - isolation & purification; Metabolomics; Essential oil; Bioinformatics; Active packaging; Meat spoilage; HPLC
• ISSN: 0168-1605; 1879-3460
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2011.07.010

The shelf life of minced beef stored (i) aerobically, (ii) under modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), and (iii) under MAP with oregano essential oil (MAP/OEO) at 0, 5, 10, and 15 °C was investigated. The microbial association of meat and the temporal biochemical changes were monitored. Microbiological analyses, including total viable counts (TVC), Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta, lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and yeasts/moulds, were undertaken, in parallel with sensory assessment, pH measurement and HPLC analysis of the organic acid profiles. Spectral data collected by HPLC were subjected to statistical analysis, including principal component analysis (PCA) and factorial discriminant analysis (FDA). This revealed qualitative discrimination of the samples based on their spoilage status. Partial least squares regression (PLS-R) was used to evaluate quantitative predictions of TVC, Pseudomonas spp., Br. thermosphacta, lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and yeasts/moulds. Overall, the HPLC analysis of organic acids, was found to be a potential method to evaluate the spoilage and microbial status of a meat sample regardless of the storage conditions. This could be a very useful tool for monitoring the quality of meat batches during transportation and storage in the meat food chain. ► The shelf life of minced beef stored under conventional and active packaging systems at various temperatures was estimated. ► The microbiological and sensory analyses data were correlated with the HPLC profile of organic acids in meat. ► The PCA / FDA facilitated the qualitative discrimination of meat samples according to their organoleptic profile. ► The population of the different microbial groups was successfully estimated through the PLS-R models. ► HPLC analysis was found to be a potential technique for estimating meat spoilage regardless of storage conditions.