Effect of marinade containing thyme and orange oils on broiler breast fillet and whole wing aerobic bacteria during refrigerated storage

Raw meat typically hosts spoilage organisms and sometimes hosts pathogens; to combat this, natural antimicrobial interventions have gained interest among consumers. In a previous study a marinade containing a thyme-orange essential oils combination (TOC) at the 0.5% level was found to inhibit Salmonella and Campylobacter species. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effect of a salt-phosphate marinade solution with 0.5% TOC (treatment) or without TOC (control) applied by vacuum tumbling on the shelf life of broiler breast fillets and whole wings. The total aerobic and facultative mesophiles (TAM) occurring naturally on these products during refrigerated storage for 14 d (at 1, 7, 10, and 14 d) were enumerated. A total of 48 (24 for each trial) skinless breast fillets and 48 (24 for each trial) whole wings were used for the 2 trials. For each trial, 12 of the 24 breast fillets or wings were marinated using the control marinade solution and the remaining 12 were marinated in the treatment marinade solution. On d 1, 7, 10, and 14, 3 treatment and 3 control breast fillets and wings were randomly selected for TAM enumeration. Sample rinsates were plated in duplicate and incubated at 35°C for 48 h. Thyme-orange combination marinade significantly reduced TAM numbers on d 1, 7, and 10 compared with the controls. Log reductions of 0.3, 0.9, and 1.1 were recorded on d 1, 7, and 10, respectively. The difference in TAM between the treated and untreated whole wings was not significant. Therefore, 0.5% TOC in marinade can be used as a natural antimicrobial to reduce TAM on skinless breast fillets; however, a higher concentration may be required for skin-on products.     

Marinade Composition and Vacuum Effects on Liquid Uptake and Retention in Tumbled Fish Portions

A combination of higher pH (pH 8 vs. pH 6 or 7), higher NaCl content (6% vs. 2%), and shorter chain polyphosphates (sodium tripoly- or pyro-phosphate vs. hexametaphosphate, all at 1.6% in the marinade) during tumbling of halibut pieces (uniform size, shape) resulted in greatest marinade uptake and yields following subsequent purge and cook losses. Surface slime formation noted in optimum treatments, likely the result of increased surface extraction of protein, could dictate moderating ionic strength and solution pH as a marketing consideration. Unfrozen (fresh) fish exhibited a greater uptake of marinade than previously frozen fish, but also higher subsequent purge and cook losses such that yields after cooking for the two treatments were similar. Contrary to conventional industry belief, vacuum (9.2 kPa) during tumbling did not affect uptake of marinade.     

Proteolytic and Sensory Changes During Marination of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Flesh in Pomegranate Juice

Suitability of pomegranate juice (PJ) alone or mixed with acetic acid versus acetic acid control solution, a traditional fish marinating media, was investigated in this research. With that purpose, rainbow trout fillets were marinated for 12 days at 4°C in one of three different marinating solutions: 100% acetic acid solution (AAS), 50% acetic acid/50% pomegranate juice solution (AAPJS), and 100% pomegranate juice solution (PJS). Moisture content and pH value of rainbow trout flesh decreased, whereas fat, protein, ash, and salt contents increased at the end of the marinating process for all treatments (p < 0.05). Fish flesh marinated in solution containing PJ had darker, more red and lower yellow color values due to migration of color components from the PJ (p < 0.01). Traditionally marinated fish flesh had the highest total free amino acid amount (p < 0.01) due to a higher level of proteolytic breakdown under the low pH condition, which could be seen on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis image. This treatment also had higher sensory scores than those of fish marinated in solution containing 50% or 100% PJ. In addition, fish marinated in AAPJS and PJS solution had firmer texture and sweeter taste compared to that of marinated in AAS.     

Impact of marination,pre‐harvest salt acclimation and sodium chloride concentration on the sensory acceptability of freshwater prawn,Macrobrachium rosenbergii

This study was conducted to evaluate the consumer acceptability of post‐harvest freshwater prawns marinated in salt solutions (0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% NaCl in the cooked product), and to compare the sensory acceptability of these treatments against prawns that had been salt acclimated pre‐harvest while still alive. The salt‐acclimated prawns were transferred to 250‐L tanks containing 10 ppt solar salt (NaCl with small concentrations of CaCl₂ and KCl). Salts were increased by 5 ppt in 2 h increments until 30 ppt was reached. After 18 h of salt acclimation, prawns were chill killed. Prawns that were used for post‐mortem marination treatments were transferred to 250 L tanks with freshwater for 18 h prior to harvest and post‐mortem marination. Two consumer‐based sensory tests were conducted (n = 102). Results indicate that flavour, texture and overall acceptability of prawns increased (P < 0.05) as the salt concentration increased from 0.5% to 1.5% in marinated prawns. In addition, marinated prawns that contained 1% sodium chloride after cooking did not differ (P > 0.05) in acceptability when compared to salt acclimated prawns which contained 0.5% sodium chloride in the cooked product. The salt‐acclimated product was preferred (P < 0.05) over the 0.5% salt marination treatment, although they did not differ in final salt concentration. This indicates that salt acclimation enhanced product acceptability through increased salt concentration as well as due to the salt acclimation process, thus lowering the amount of sodium chloride that was necessary to enhance product acceptability.     

Effect of Immersion or Dry Air Chilling on Broiler Carcass Moisture Retention and Breast Fillet Functionality

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of chilling method on broiler carcass skin color, moisture retention, breast fillet quality, and functionality. One hundred fifty eviscerated broiler carcasses were removed from a commercial processing line before chilling, transported to the laboratory, weighed, and chilled by dry air or immersion in ice water. Postchill carcasses were weighed for moisture uptake or loss and held on ice at 4°C for 24 h. Carcass skin color was measured immediately after chilling and after storage. After storage, fillets were deboned, marinated, and cooked. Fillet color was measured on the medial surface before marination and after cooking. Cooked fillet shear values were determined using an Allo-Kramer multiple blade. After 150 min of air chilling, carcasses lost 2.5% of prechill weight, and weight loss ranged from 2.2 to 3.5%. Moisture uptake during immersion averaged 9.3% of the prechill weight but varied widely with a range of 3.4 to 14.7%. Immediately after chilling, breast skin for immersion-chilled carcasses was significantly lighter (higher L*), less red (lower a*), and less yellow (lower b*) than the breast skin color for air-chilled carcasses. Storage time improved appearance (lighter skin color) of air-chilled carcasses. Raw and cooked fillet color, fillet marination pickup, and cooked fillet tenderness were not affected by chilling method. Cook yield for fillets deboned from immersion-chilled carcasses was significantly lower than fillets from air-chilled carcasses.