Microbial, instrumental color and sensory color and odor characteristics of ground beef produced from beef trimmings treated with ozone or chlorine dioxide.

The effects of beef trimming decontamination with ozone and chlorine dioxide on ground beef microbial, color and odor characteristics were studied. Beef trimmings were inoculated with Escherichia coli (EC) and Salmonella Typhimurium (ST), then treated with either 1% ozonated water for 7 min (7O) or 15 min (15O), or with 200 ppm chlorine dioxide (CLO) and compared with a control (C). Trimmings were ground, packaged and sampled at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 7 days of display for EC, ST, coliforms (CO), aerobic plate counts (APC), instrumental color, as well as sensory color and odor characteristics. The 15O and CLO treatments reduced (P<0.05) all bacterial types evaluated, whereas the 7O treatment reduced (P<0.05) APC and ST. All treatments caused ground beef to become lighter (L*) in color (P<0.05); however, the 15O treatment was similar (P>0.05) in redness (a*), percentage discoloration, beef odor and off odor intensities when compared to C.