Individual and combined effects of glucose oxidase and sodium erythorbate on color stability and quality attributes of minced beef during repeated freeze-thaw cycles

Beef is highly perishable, and concerns over the safety of synthetic antioxidants have driven the search for natural alternatives. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of glucose oxidase on the quality of minced beef subjected to repeated freeze-thaw cycles (1, 3, 5, and 7 cycles), with sodium erythorbate serving as a reference antioxidant treatment. Results revealed that both 0.02% glucose oxidase and 0.1% sodium erythorbate effectively preserved color and suppressed lipid oxidation across most time points, with efficacy declining at higher doses. After 7 freeze-thaw cycles, these treatments maintained significantly higher L*, a* (18.84 and 20.14, respectively) and Chroma values, R630/R580 ratio, oxymyoglobin content, along with lower TBARS values (0.59 and 0.44 mg MDA/kg, respectively) than the control group (a* = 16.63, TBARS = 1.07 mg MDA/kg) (p < 0.05). Both additives also moderated pH changes, improved water-holding capacity, and limited free amino acids accumulation. Sodium erythorbate provided stronger protection of polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereas glucose oxidase showed greater efficacy in preserving texture. Their combination showed synergistic effects on preserving color and inhibiting lipid oxidation. These findings suggest that glucose oxidase is a promising natural enzymatic preservative for maintaining minced beef quality during frozen storage.