This study was carried out to investigate the effect of ascorbic acid and its combination with either a-tocopherol
(Toc+AA) or Zizyphus spina-Christi extracts (ZE+AA), ZE on meat colour and lipid stability of fresh beef steaks
from six beef carcasses stored at 4°C for 9 days. AA, (Toc+AA), ZE and (ZE+AA) treatments retarded metmyoglobin
formation in beef steaks during 9 days of cold storage as compared with the control.
Treatments of (Toc+AA), ZE and (ZE+AA) showed better colour and high suppressed lipid oxidation during 9
days of storage at 4°C as compared with (Toc+AA) or (ZE+AA) and had synergistic effect with each other as antioxidants
resulting in reducing activity, inhibition metmyoglobin formation, increased meat colour stability and retarded
lipid oxidation. In conclusion, these treatments have an acceptable meat colour and thus extending shelf-life of beef
steaks during cold storage.