Effect of temperature and relative humidity in refrigerator on quality traits and storage characteristics of Pre-packed Hanwoo loin

This study was carried out to determine the effect of storage condition, such as temperature or relative humidity (RH) in home-style refrigerator, on the change of quality traits and storage characteristics of Hanwoo M. longissimus to find out the condition for prolongation of shelf-life with maintaining the meat quality for consumers. Samples were sliced in $1{\pm}0.2cm$ thickness, and packed in foamed polystyrene tray with linear low-density polyethylene (LLD-PE) film to simulate the pre-packed Hanwoo loin sold in retail market, then stored in home-style refrigerator ($5^{\circ}C$/17% RH, Control), and chambers of $5^{\circ}C$/55% RH (T1), $5^{\circ}C$/85% RH (T2), and $-1^{\circ}C$/99% RH (T3), respectively. Quality traits (color, pH, water holding capacity, shear force and grilling loss) and storage characteristics (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, volatile basic nitrogen and total microbes) were measured at 1, 4, 7, 14 and 21 days after storage. Lightness of Hanwoo loin stored in T1, T2 and T3 were higher than that of control until 14 days of storage, however at the end of storage (21 days) control showed significantly higher than other treatments (p<0.05). Redness and Yellowness of Hanwoo loin samples stored in T1 and T3 were significantly higher than others during all storage period (p<0.05). The water holding capacity (WHC) of control was significantly higher than others until 14 days of storage (p<0.05), however, Hanwoo loin stored in T2 was the highest ($63.64{\pm}7.62kg/cm^2$) at 21 days of storage. Hanwoo loin stored in T1 showed significantly lower shear force than others during all storage period (p<0.05). There was no consistent tendency in pH and grilling loss during storage in all treatments. Hanwoo loin stored in T1 showed lower TBARS value than others during storage period, however there was a rapid increase to $0.34{\pm}0.27mg$ malonaldehyde/kg meat at 21 days of storage. And, all the treated samples (from T1 to T3) showed significantly lower VBN values at 21 days of storage (p<0.05). The population of total aerobic microbes were significantly increased in all treatments as storage period increasing, and the population of T3 ($2.28{\pm}0.57logCFU/g$) was the lowest at 21 days of storage (p<0.05). From those results, it could be predicted the better storage condition to maintain the meat quality and prolong the shelf-life of Hanwoo loin by lowering the temperature and adjusting the humidity about 55%.

냉장고 내 온도와 상대습도가 포장 한우 등심의 품질 및 저장 특성에 미치는 영향

본 연구에서는 포장 한우 등심의 저장 시 각각 다른 저장고 내 온도와 상대습도가 저장 기간별 이화학적 품질과 저장성에 미치는 영향을 살펴보았다. 한우 등심의 냉장저장시 저장온도와 상대습도는 육색을 포함한 식육의 품질특성에 영향을 미치며, 식육의 지방산패와 미생물 증식속도에도 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구의 결과 포장된 한우육의 저장 시 온도를 낮추며 상대습도를 55% 수준으로 유지하는 것이 품질을 유지하면서 저장기간을 연장하는데 도움이 되는 것으로 사료되며, 추후 온 습도 뿐만 아니라 저장고 내의 여러 조건들의 조절을 통하여 소비자가 고품질의 한우육을 장기간 보관하며 섭취할 수 있는 방안을 제시하는 것이 향후 한우 소비의 증진을 위해 필요할 것으로 사료된다.