foods Article Impact of Packaging Film and Beef Trimmings on Ground Beef Shelf Life Hunter R. Smith 1, Barney S. Wilborn 1, Anna Grace Parnell 1, Tristan M. Reyes 1, Madison P. Wagoner 1, Laura E. Yoder 1, Eugene Blythe 2 , Don R. Mulvaney 1, Soren P. Rodning 1, Mary K. Mullenix 1, Tom Bonner 3 and Jason T. Sawyer 1,* 1 Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA;
[email protected] (H.R.S.);
[email protected] (B.S.W.);
[email protected] (A.G.P.);
[email protected] (T.M.R.);
[email protected] (M.P.W.);
[email protected] (L.E.Y.);
[email protected] (D.R.M.);
[email protected] (S.P.R.);
[email protected] (M.K.M.) 2 College of Agriculture, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA;
[email protected] 3 Winpak Ltd., 100 Saulteaux Crescent Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB R3J3T3, Canada;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +1-334-844-1519 Abstract: Fresh beef storage in the retail setting can be presented in a variety of packaging methods, and identifying an alternative such as vacuum packaging to current traditional methods could potentially increase shelf life and reduce meat waste. The objective of this study was to identify the influence of packaging film and lean trimming sources on fresh ground beef surface color during a simulated retail display period. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in surface color redness (a*), yellowness (b*), chroma, or hue angle regardless of packaging film or lean trimmings. However, Citation: Smith, H.R.; Wilborn, B.S.; thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were greater (p < 0.05) for packages containing Parnell, A.G.; Reyes, T.M.; Wagoner, a greater percentage of CULL beef trimmings regardless of packaging film.