Phirinya Wongwiwat, Suthasinee Yanpakdee, and Saowakhon Wattanachant

pp. 1619 - 1632

Abstract

The effects of spices on chemical, physical and microbiological quality of ready-to-cook Thai indigenous chicken meat were investigated during storage at 4°C for 15 days. The spices used with marinade ingredient (soya sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and salt) were lemon glass, black pepper, garlic, coriander root and mixed spices. Non-marinated chicken meat (control 1) and marinated only ingredients (control 2) were used as control treatments. The qualities of ready-to-cook chicken meat that were evaluated were shear force, % drip loss, surface color (L*, a*, b*), lipid oxidation (TBARS), myoglobin oxidation (% metmyoglobin) and microbial growth. Effects of spices on shear force and % drip loss were not significantly different (P>0.05) but they efficiently reduced lipid oxidation and microbial growth of chicken meat. Mixed spices significantly reduced oxidation of lipid (P<0.05) as compared to garlic, coriander root, lemon glass, black pepper and controls, respectively. Marinade ingredient was found to accelerate metmyoglobin content as compared to control 1 (P<0.05). However, black pepper reduced metmyoglobin content of the product (P<0.05) significantly better than mixed spices, lemon glass, garlic and coriander root, respectively. Garlic significantly reduced total bacterial count (P<0.05) and extended shelf life of the product from 10 to 12 days. The mixed spice marinade at 10, 12.5 and 15% (w/w meat) were studied. At 15%, marinade significantly inhibited microbial growth in chicken meat (P<0.05) but acceleration in the lipid and myoglobin oxidation was observed. At 10% and 12.5% marinade significantly reduced oxidation of lipid and myoglobin as compared to control (P<0.05). The marinade at 10-15% resulted in no significant difference in shear force, % drip loss or surface color of chicken meat (P>0.05). However, marinade at 12.5% (w/w) showed high efficiency in inhibiting deterioration of ready-to-cook chicken meat.