PREVENTION OF TOUGHENING OF CHICKEN BREAST MUSCLE CUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER SLAUGHTER BY CONTROL OF pH DECLINE

摘要

ABSTRACTThe influence of slowing the rate of pH decline on the toughening effect of cutting chicken pectoralis muscle shortly after slaughter was studied by injection of NaHCO3/Na2CO3buffer into the muscle immediately after evisceration. Buffer injected to a calculated level of 0.48 solids resulted in cut muscles with an ultimate mean pH of 6.5, which were completely tender after 24 hr aging. Buffer injected at a calculated level of 0.72 solids resulted in muscles which were adequately tender after 5 hr aging and extremely tender (ultimate pH 6.7) after 24 hr aging. Untreated cut control muscles were relatively tough after 24 hr aging (ultimate pH 5.75–5.78