2024-05-072024-05-072024Carpenter, B.J., Dobbins, T.W., Hernandez, M.S., Barker, S.N., Loomas, K.R., Osburn, W.N., & Legako, J.F.. 2024. Comparison of Gas Treatments of High Oxygen, Carbon Monoxide, and Nitric Oxide on Ground Beef Color in Modified Atmosphere Packaging. Foods, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13060902https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13060902https://hdl.handle.net/2346/97831© 2024 by the authors. cc-byThe objective of this study was to evaluate the viability and performance of nitric oxide modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) as a novel alternative to high oxygen and carbon monoxide MAP for ground beef. Packages of ground beef under high oxygen (HI-OX), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitric oxide (NO) atmospheres were evaluated for descriptive and instrumental color every 12 h during a 120 h display period. Surface myoglobin percentages, internal cooked color, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and residual nitrite and nitrate were also evaluated. There were gas × time interactions for descriptive color, discoloration, a* values, b* values, deoxymyoglobin percentages, and metmyoglobin percentages (p < 0.05). There were also gas-type main effects for cooked color and TBARS (p < 0.05). Carbon monoxide maintained the most redness and least discoloration throughout the display period, while HI-OX started with a bright red color but rapidly browned (p < 0.05). Nitric oxide started as dark red to tannish-red but transitioned to a dull red (p < 0.05). However, NO had increased redness and a* values for internal cooked color (p < 0.05). Although CO outperformed NO packages, NO exhibited a unique color cycle warranting further research to optimize its use.engcarbon monoxideground beefmeat colormodified-atmosphere packagingnitric oxideArticle