Preservation of precooked uncured beef pieces for use as packaged food product involves treating with an antioxidant formulation followed by a high minimum heat treatment and gas flushed packaging

摘要

Preservation of precooked and uncured whole muscle beef pieces involves a) treating the beef pieces with a formulation comprising a non synthetic oxidant, an antimicrobial composition and a caramel coloring component; b) a high minimum heat treatment; and c) gas flushed packaging. A method for providing precooked whole muscle beef pieces with long-term refrigerated storage properties comprises: i) forming pieces of uncured and uncooked whole muscle beef; ii) treating the beef pieces with a preformed treatment formulation; iii) heating the treated beef pieces in an oven at least at 232degreesC to form precooked and uncured pieces; and iv) gas flush packaging the precooked and uncured pieces in an oxygen free environment. The treatment formulation comprises (wt.%): a) a non-synthetic antioxidant (0.3 - 10) which is a blend of a phosphate salt and citrus concentrate; b) an antimicrobial composition (at least 1) including at least one food grade organic acid salt and a chloride salt; and c) a caramel coloring component (0.1). Independent claims are also included for the following: A) a method for preventing development of warmed-over flavors (WOF) during extended time periods of non-frozen refrigerated storage of uncured and precooked whole muscle beef pieces involving 1) forming packaged precooked and uncured whole muscle beef pieces and 2) storing the packaged precooked beef pieces under non-frozed refrigerated conditions; and B) the precooked packaged beef product adapted to be stored under non-freezing refrigerated conditions for at least 60 days while retarding warmed-over flavor attributes comprising 1) a composition of the beef pieces and the treatment formulation which is precooked at a temperature of at least 232degreesC for at least 2 minutes to form precooked and uncured pieces; and 2) a package containing the precooked and uncured beef pieces. The package is a gas flushed oxygen free film package with oxygen barrier properties.