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Retail display case lighting applications

Fresh Beef Bacteria in Grocery Store Meat Cabinets

The microorganisms that attach rapidly to fresh beef and are primarily responsible for beef spoilage in grocery store meat cabinets are psychrotrophic bacteria, meaning those that are able to grow in cold temperatures, and tend to be in the genus Pseudomonas. While these bacteria are not harmful per se, they contribute to the discoloration and spoilage of beef by accelerating the oxidation of myoglobin to metmyoglobin, the pigment that causes fresh meat to look brown, reducing the shelf life of fresh beef to 2 to 3 days. Eighty percent of Canadian beef is sold domestically and internationally in vacuum packages, which are vulnerable to spoilage by lactic acid bacteria.

In most cases, the bacteria are only present on the surface of the meat, in the outer few millimeters. The exceptions are ground beef, where the grinding process spreads the bacteria throughout the meat, and highly spoiled beef.

For meat science references and excerpts click here.

FRESH BEEF DISPLAYS IN RETAIL SUPERMARKETS
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and other groups estimate that up to $1 billion in beef are wasted each year in the United States, a loss of four to five percent of the wholesale price, while in Canada it is estimated that $200 million are lost each year as a result of beef spoilage in supermarket meat departments. <more...>

FRESH BEEF COLOR
Various studies have found that consumers consider color to be the most important factor when judging the freshness and acceptability of beef: they prefer beef cuts that are bright red. <more...>

BACTERIA AND FRESH BEEF DISPLAYS
Bacteria contribute to the discoloration and spoilage of beef by accelerating the oxidation of myoglobin to metmyoglobin, the pigment that causes fresh meat to look brown. <more...>

TEMPERATURE, LIGHTING, AND FRESH BEEF DISPLAYS
Average steak surface temperatures are 8 to 10° C higher than the temperature recorded on the display case thermometer, sometimes fluctuating to 20° C higher particularly when the meat was exposed to meat display case lighting. At higher temperatures, bacteria grows exponentially. <more...>

ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT AND FRESH BEEF DISPLAYS
After 17 days, meat under regular supermarket lighting had much larger percentages of surface metmyoglobin, higher levels of psychrotrophic bacteria, and poorer odour quality than the beef displayed under Promolux lights or beef kept in darkness. <more...>

Promolux True Color Definition Lamps

Promolux Safe Spectrum balanced full spectrum lamps emit lower levels of heat and ultraviolet radiation than regular supermarket fluorescent lamps, thus reducing the rate of meat decomposition. Compared to other fluorescent lighting, Promolux lamps emit 86% lower UV B radiation, a shorter wavelength that penetrates and causes heating, and 52% lower UV A radiation, a longer wavelength that tends to affect surfaces.

Because Promolux lamps are designed for true color definition, they have a more balanced visible spectrum than other fluorescent lamps. The yellow and green wavelengths that are predominant in regular fluorescent lighting are the most damaging wavelengths in the visible spectrum.

Promolux lamps emit a more balanced range of wavelengths, including more of the red and blue wavelengths and more moderate levels of the yellow and green wavelengths. This balance ensures that the cherry red of blooming beef its white fat and marbling are displayed in their true colors, rather than appearing brownish with yellowed or pink fat as often happens with regular meat display lighting. PROMOLUX The Professional Choice For Fresh Meat Displays.