Packaging Venison for Extended Chilled Storage: Comparison of Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Packaging Containing 100% Carbon Dioxide.

Thirty red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) stags were slaughtered at three deer slaughter premises (plants A, B, and C) to determine the effects of initial microbial flora on the quality of chilled venison loins stored using three packaging methods: vacuum packaging (VP), modified atmosphere packaging using an ultra-high barrier outer barrier film (CO-UHB), and modified atmosphere packaging using a dual aluminized polyethylene outer barrier film (CO-MPET), all of which were stored for 6, 12, and 18 weeks at -1 ± 3°C. Carcasses slaughtered in plant B had higher aerobic plate counts than those killed at either plants A or C. Location of slaughter had little effect on loin quality except for drip loss, pH and anaerobic and lactic acid bacteria counts.