Effect of High Pressure after the Addition of Vegetable Oil on the Safety and Quality of Beef Loin

Olive oil and grape seed oil (10% of meat weight) were added to a package of beef loin. The package was then vacuum-sealed, and high pressure was applied (HP, 600 MPa) to investigate the effect of the penetration of vegetable oil into meat and safety and quality of the meat. Non-HP (0.1 MPa) without any oil treatment was considered as a control. The color L* and b*-values of beef loin were higher and the a*-value was lower than those of the control after HP at 600 MPa. The total aerobic bacterial number was 3 Log CFU/g in the control but no viable cell was detected in the beef with 600 MPa. All inoculated E. coli and L. monocytogenes were inactivated by HP. The beef loin with vegetable oil added without HP did not show any difference in fatty acid composition, but that treated by HP showed a higher oleic and linoleic acid content when olive oil and grape seed oil were added, respectively. The addition of olive oil inhibited lipid oxidation, and sensory evaluation revealed that there was no difference among treatments. The results indicate that the addition of vegetable oil followed by the application of HP enhances the safety of beef loin, changing the fatty acid composition in a health beneficial way. In addition, the use of olive oil can inhibit lipid oxidation induced by HP.