Color characteristics were evaluated on 48 pork backbones. After 6 d postmortem, six 1-
inch-thick sections of lumbar vertebrae were cut from each backbone. Lumbar vertebrae were treated with different concentrations of
ascorbic acid, with combination treatments of
ascorbic acid and natural antioxidants, or left untreated. Bones were packaged in one of
three systems: high-oxygen modifiedatmosphere
packaging (MAP), ultra-lowoxygen MAP, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) overwrap trays. Bones were visually evaluated by a trained panel on d 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8. Lightness (L*) was also measured on d 0, 2, and 8 of display. After 8 d of display, antioxidant- treated bones packaged in highoxygen MAP were more desirable than those
in PVC overwrap trays. Bones packaged in ultra-low-oxygen MAP became less desirable
over 8 d of display. Solutions of 1.875% and
2.50% ascorbic acid yielded the most desirable color after 8 d for bones in high-oxygen MAP and in PVC overwrap trays. Bones
treated with 1.875% or 2.50% ascorbic acid
tended to have lighter color (higher L*) on d 8 for high-oxygen MAP and PVC overwrap trays, whereas an overall difference was not
observed for lightness for bones packaged in
ultra-low-oxygen MAP.
