Effects of Raw Broiler Breast Meat Color Variation on Marination and Cooked Meat Quality

Three replicate trials were conducted to determine the effect of raw broiler breast meat color on marinated and cooked meat quality. In each trial, 90 fillets were collected from a commercial processing plant based on lightness (L*) values of breast meat as follows: light, L* > 53; normal, 48 < L* < 51; and, dark, L* < 46. For each fillet the color, pH, and weight were determined, and the fillets were marinated in three lots of 10 fillets from each color group (20% wt:wt of 5% salt and 2.5% sodium tripolyphosphate in a vacuum tumbler). Marination uptake was determined; the samples were held for 24 h at 2 C, and color, pH, and weight again were determined. Next, the samples were cooked, and the meat was subjected to color, pH, cooked yield, shear force, and moisture analyses. Results showed that absolute color values changed with marination and cooking, but that L* and pH differences by color group were maintained through marination and cooking. There were also significant differences in marinade absorption, cooked yield, and shear value, particularly among the extremes of light and dark meats. There was no significant difference in final cooked meat moisture. As expected, there were significant negative correlations between meat lightness and pH; however, raw muscle pH was not correlated to final product moisture or shear but was positively correlated to cooked meat yield and negatively correlated to marinade absorption. These results indicate that the pH variation associated with extreme raw breast meat color variation can affect breast meat marination and cooked meat quality.