February 28, 2006

Kroger nixes carbon monoxide packaging

by Pete Hisey

Cincinnati-based retailer Kroger Co. has stopped stocking ground beef products packaged with low-oxygen, modified atmosphere packaging containing carbon monoxide.

The chain said it was acting because of the "ambiguous" nature of information about the safety of meat product packaged with CO, which extends the "bloom," or red color, of the meat while eliminating the oxygen found in most MAP packaging,

A spokeswoman for Fred Meyer, a Kroger division, said the company felt it "didn't have enough information to feel like it had to be in our meat," according to a report in the Oregonian.

Kroger is mainly supplied by Tyson Foods.

The main issue surrounding the CO controversy, which has resulted in high-profile articles in national newspapers such as the Washington Post and syndicate services, is that the CO content, which is about 0.4 percent of the atmosphere, with carbon dioxide and nitrogen making up the bulk of the atmosphere, may keep meat bright red and fresh-looking long after the meat has spoiled or degraded.

Proponents of CO respond that the process not only provides a bright red color, but the carbon dioxide content retards the growth of pathogens. However, once meat spoils, it will still develop a telltale odor and sliminess typical of spoiled meat. Cargill Meat Solutions, which has patents pending on its process, contends that CO packaging produces a safer product that will last far longer in the consumer's refrigerator.

Opponents contend that consumers look at color of meat first and foremost in judging its freshness, and therefore, CO packaging could result in Americans eating beef that has been allowed to exceed allowable temperatures, leading to pathogen buildup.

The solution may be packaging that alerts the consumer if the cold chain has been violated, as well as clear "use-by" dates on the front of the package. Several firms in the food industry are developing such temperature-sensitive packaging, although Scott Eilert, Cargill's vice president for meat technology development, recently told Meatingplace that the company has yet to find products that are effective or cost-effective.

This article reprinted with permission from Meat Marketing and Technology Magazine.

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