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Title: Effects of hydrodynamic pressure processing on the marination and quality of turkey breast muscle

Author
item Bowker, Brian
item BOARMAN, JANICE
item Solomon, Morse

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2010
Publication Date: 8/1/2010
Citation: Bowker, B.C., Callahan, J.A., Solomon, M.B. 2010. Effects of hydrodynamic pressure processing on the marination and quality of turkey breast muscle. Poultry Science. 89:1744-1749.

Interpretive Summary: In the poultry industry, marination with a salt and phosphate brine is often used by processors to enhance the eating quality of poultry breast products. It is unknown if treating raw muscle with high pressure has any influence on the meat quality and processing of poultry products. In this study turkey breast muscles were subjected to hydrodynamic pressure processing (HDP) prior to marination. HDP dramatically increased the brine absorption and processing yields of the raw breasts and enhanced the texture properties of the cooked product. The improved processing and final meat quality attributes of turkey breast muscles with HDP treatment suggest that HDP may potentially benefit both processors and consumers of moisture-enhanced poultry products.

Technical Abstract: The effects of hydrodynamic pressure processing (HDP) on the marination and meat quality characteristics of turkey breast muscle was investigated. Boneless, skinless turkey breast muscles were obtained from 45 birds. One breast muscle from each bird was HDP treated and the other side served as a non-treated control. Breasts were then marinated with vacuum tumbling for 30 min at either 15 or 30% brine (water, salt, phosphate) based on muscle weight or non-marinated. Brine uptake, processing yield, and cook yield were measured as processing characteristics and texture, color and expressible moisture were measured to document changes in meat quality. HDP increased (P < 0.001) brine uptake after 10 min and 30 min of marination and increased (P < 0.001) final processing yield compared to controls. HDP induced improvements in these processing characteristics were enhanced at 30% brine levels compared to 15% brine. Cook loss was lower (P < 0.001) in marinated breasts compared to non-marinated samples. HDP decreased (P < 0.0001) Warner-Bratzler shear force and significantly influenced measures of hardness, cohesiveness, and springiness using texture profile analysis when compared to controls at both marination levels. HDP did not influence color (L*, a*, b*) or expressible moisture values compared to controls at either marination level. Marinated samples (15% and 30% brine levels) had lower (P < 0.001) Warner-Bratzler shear force values and lower (P < 0.05) hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness values using texture profile analysis compared to non-marinated samples. Data from this study suggest that HDP enhances brine absorption, increases processing yield, and improves texture characteristics in marinated turkey breasts