when compared to day 0 and remained less than day 0 through 25 days. All PVC treatments decreased (P b 0.05) on day 7 when compared to day 0. A decrease in b* values for meat is indicative of the development or presence of the metmyoglobin brown pigment. The b* values for PVC treatments were higher (P b 0.05) than all MAP and 10% VP treatments on day 0, and all treatments on day 1. On day 7, VP treatment had lower (P b 0.05) b* values than all other treatments, except 10% Map treatment, and remained lower than all MAP treatments (except 10% MAP on day 21) through 25 day storage.