Effects of Various Packaging Systems on the Quality Characteristic of Goat Meat

40 goat kid ribcages were held for 7 days in storage conditions ($4^{\circ}C$) and used to determine the effects of three different packaging methods (atmospheric air, vacuum and modified atmosphere package (MAP) 10:70:20 mixture of $N_2:O_2:CO_2$) on meat quality of the chops. L* was affected by the packaging method being lighter than MAP chops. The coordinate a* significantly increased during storage time. For MAP-packed chops and those kept in atmospheric air, b* increased markedly during storage time whereas it remained unaffected throughout storage when in vacuum packages. Final pH values ranged from 5.6 to 5.8 and no effects were found for either storage time or packaging method. WHC means were lowest for the three packaging methods on day 7 of storage and highest on day 1. Storage time increased water loss in vacuum treatments. Trained panel colour acceptability was lower at 3, 5 and 7 days than on day 1 of storage for atmospheric air treatment and vacuum packaging, while for the MAP treatment average values on days 5 and 7 were lower than those observed on days 1 or 3. Trained panel odour was lower for atmospheric air and vacuum packages at 3, 5, and 7 days storage than at 1 day, while no differences were found in trained panel odour acceptability for MAP packages. With reference to consumers, the MAP proposed in the present study is the chosen method for storing goat meat, rather than vacuum or atmospheric air packaging.