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Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C

Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2 22 Ekim 2026
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Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C

Öz

The quality of raw meat is crucial for consumer acceptance, food safety, and nutritional value, yet it deteriorates rapidly even under refrigeration due to ongoing biochemical processes. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of beef stored at 4 °C by integrating conventional physicochemical parameters with oxidative stability indicators, in order to estimate the storage period during which refrigerated beef retains acceptable oxidative and physicochemical quality. pH, water activity (aw), colour parameters (CIE L*, a*, and b* of both inner and outer surfaces), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and protein carbonyl levels were monitored over a 20-day storage period. pH increased significantly throughout storage (p < 0.05), rising from 5.15 on day 0 to 6.52 on day 20. Although water activity values showed statistically significant variation (p < 0.05), the numerical range remained narrow (0.933–0.947), indicating no practically meaningful change in free water content. Among colour parameters, the outer surface a* value declined markedly, reaching its lowest point on day 10 (9.57 ± 1.47), while b* values increased progressively, reflecting concurrent pigment degradation and lipid oxidation. Lipid and protein oxidation remained relatively limited during the first three days for lipid oxidation and five days for protein oxidation but accelerated substantially thereafter, with the most pronounced deterioration observed between days 5 and 15. Day 5 was the earliest sampling point at which significant changes were detected simultaneously in TBARS, pH and outer surface colour parameters. Therefore, a storage period not exceeding five days at 4 °C is proposed as an oxidative and physicochemical quality threshold. Since microbiological and sensory analyses were not performed, this period should not be interpreted as a microbiological safety limit. This study introduces the concept of a health-focused consumption period as a complement to conventional shelf-life assessment. This concept is based on oxidative and physicochemical indicators and does not represent a direct assessment of human health outcomes.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Beef shelf life, Storage, Lipid oxidation, Protein oxidation, Meat colour

Destekleyen Kurum

This work was supported by the Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (Project No: 2015.31.01.913).

Etik Beyan

This study did not involve any human participants or animals. Therefore, ethics committee approval was not required. The meat used in this study was obtained as a commercial food product from a slaughterhouse, and no animals were slaughtered for the purpose of this study.

Teşekkür

The authors would like to thank the Scientific In¬dustrial and Technological Application and Research Center (STARC) of Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University for the utili¬zation of laboratories.

Kaynakça

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Kaynak Göster

APA
Sarkaratı, B., Söylemez Milli, N., & Eren, Ö. (2026). Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C. Journal of Apitherapy and Nature, 9(2), 309-318. https://doi.org/10.35206/jan.1994168
AMA
1.Sarkaratı B, Söylemez Milli N, Eren Ö. Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C. Journal of Apitherapy and Nature. 2026;9(2):309-318. doi:10.35206/jan.1994168
Chicago
Sarkaratı, Bahram, Nursel Söylemez Milli, ve Ömer Eren. 2026. “Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C”. Journal of Apitherapy and Nature 9 (2): 309-18. https://doi.org/10.35206/jan.1994168.
EndNote
Sarkaratı B, Söylemez Milli N, Eren Ö (01 Ekim 2026) Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C. Journal of Apitherapy and Nature 9 2 309–318.
IEEE
[1]B. Sarkaratı, N. Söylemez Milli, ve Ö. Eren, “Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C”, Journal of Apitherapy and Nature, c. 9, sy 2, ss. 309–318, Eki. 2026, doi: 10.35206/jan.1994168.
ISNAD
Sarkaratı, Bahram - Söylemez Milli, Nursel - Eren, Ömer. “Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C”. Journal of Apitherapy and Nature 9/2 (01 Ekim 2026): 309-318. https://doi.org/10.35206/jan.1994168.
JAMA
1.Sarkaratı B, Söylemez Milli N, Eren Ö. Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C. Journal of Apitherapy and Nature. 2026;9:309–318.
MLA
Sarkaratı, Bahram, vd. “Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C”. Journal of Apitherapy and Nature, c. 9, sy 2, Ekim 2026, ss. 309-18, doi:10.35206/jan.1994168.
Vancouver
1.Bahram Sarkaratı, Nursel Söylemez Milli, Ömer Eren. Physicochemical and Oxidative Quality Changes in Beef During Refrigerated Storage at 4 °C. Journal of Apitherapy and Nature. 01 Ekim 2026;9(2):309-18. doi:10.35206/jan.1994168