Effects of pyruvate, succinate, and lactate enhancement on beef longissimus raw color

Beef strip loins (n = 30) were divided into halves, and each half was assigned randomly to one of four injection enhancements: (1) non-enhanced control, (2) 3% pyruvate, (3) 3% succinate, and (4) 3% lactate. Steaks were cut and packaged in either vacuum, high oxygen (80% O2/20% CO2), or PVC. Color and lipid oxidation were measured on days 0, 5, and 13 of storage at 1 °C. Enhancement had a significant effect on steak pH. On day 13 of storage, steaks enhanced with lactate, pyruvate, and succinate were less discolored (P < 0.05) than control steaks in PVC and high oxygen. Enhancement darkened steaks (P < 0.05) compared with control steaks. Succinate had the greatest and pyruvate had the least metmyoglobin-reducing activity (P < 0.05). Lactate and pyruvate decreased the TBARS values of steaks packaged in PVC (P < 0.05) whereas pyruvate was most effective for lowering lipid oxidation in high-oxygen packaging.