November 24/Lexington, Ken.Food Weekly News -- "We examined the influence of chitosan on lipid oxidation and color stability of ground beef stored in different modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) systems. Ground beef patties with chitosan (1%) or without chitosan (control) were packaged either in high-oxygen MAP (HIOX; 80% O-2+20% CO2), carbon monoxide MAP (CO; 0.4% CO+19.6% CO2+80% N-2), vacuum (VP), or aerobic packaging (PVC) and stored at 1 C. Chitosan increased (P <0.05) redness of patties stored in PVC and CO, whereas it had no effect (P >0.05) in HIOX," researchers in the U.S. report.

"Chitosan patties demonstrated lower (P <0.05) lipid oxidation than controls in all packaging. Control patties in PVC and HIOX exhibited greater (P<0.05) lipid oxidation than those in VP and CO, whereas chitosan patties in different packaging systems were not different (P>0.05) from each other," wrote S.P. Suman and colleagues, University of Kentucky.

The researchers concluded, "Our findings suggested that antioxidant effects of chitosan on ground beef are packaging-specific."

Suman and colleagues published their study in Meat Science ("Packaging-specific Influence of Chitosan on Color Stability and Lipid Oxidation in Refrigerated Ground Beef." Meat Science, 2010;86(4):994-998).

For additional information, contact S.P. Suman, University of Kentucky, Dept. of Animal & Food Science, Lexington, Ken., 40546.

From the December 6, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition