Protein and lipid oxidative stability of fresh ostrich M. Iliofibularis packaged under different modified atmospheric packaging conditions

This study investigated the aptness of modified atmospheric packaging (70:30, O:CO (O-MAP); 70:30, N:CO (N-MAP)) and traditional overwrap (control) for fresh ostrich steaks, stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 10 days. N-MAP showed the least oxidation, O-MAP the highest and the control moderate. Myoglobin (CIE a) was gradually oxidised in all packaging atmospheres, but the O-MAP oxidised at the slowest rate, remaining significantly more bloomed from day 0 (17.86 ± 1.17) to 8 (9.78 ± 1.12). Free carbonyls were constant in all packaging environments. TBARS remained constant for the N-MAP (2.39 ± 0.21 mg MDA/kg meat) and the overwrap (3.06 ± 0.29 mg MDA/kg meat), but the O-MAP increased significantly (9.96 ± 1.02 mg MDA/kg meat) to day 10. The pH increased in the control but remained constant in the MAP treatments. The control also showed the greatest drip loss (>5%). The success of MAP application to ostrich will depend on the ability of the consumer to detect the by-products of lipid oxidation