Monitoring the freshness of meat: new possibilities

This paper investigates the use of the DART ionisation technique for meat freshness evaluation. Top round beef steak was cut into 50 g chunks and packed in a modified atmosphere. Five different extraction reagents were used for the extraction of low-molecule substances. The extracts were subsequently measured using the DART technique in combination with TOF-MS high-definition spectrometry. Data from the mass spectra were modified and subjected to an analysis of the main components with the result of a dispersion diagram of the component score. Based on the results, we can assert that DART in combination with TOF-MS is usable for meat freshness evaluation if suitable extraction reagents and analysis conditions are applied.