Abstract:
The infl uence of holding time on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of broiler meat
marinated using three diff erent marination techniques was examined in this study. The experimental
design was 4 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments evaluating four marination methods (unmarinated control, injection, immersion and tumbling) and three holding times (4, 8 and 12 h). A
total of 84 deboned chicken thigh meat samples (average weight ± SD, 50 ± 5 g) obtained from 32-
days old broiler chickens was marinated using a commercial marinade mixture and allocated into
treatment combinations. Meat samples were analysed for uptake of marinade, pH, water holding
capacity (WHC), cooking loss, cooking yield, marinade loss, shearing force value (SFV) and meat
colour. Cooked meat samples from marinated treatments were evaluated for sensory properties.
Tumbling and injection marination signifi cantly improved (P<0.05) the marinade uptake. Holding
marinated meat for 8 h improved the pH (P<0.05) and SFV (P<0.05) compared with its unmarinated counterpart. Increasing holding time from 4 to 12 h had no eff ect (P>0.05) on SFV
of meat marinated by tumbling. Meat held for 12 h after immersion marination has resulted the
highest (P<0.05) marination loss (8.12%). In all three marination methods, holding marinated
meat for 8 h increased the pH, WHC and cooking yield and minimized the cooking loss, drip loss
and SFV. In tumbling marination, increasing holding time from 4 to 8 h had no infl uence (P>0.05)
on cooking yield, cooking loss and drip loss. Immersion method signifi cantly increased (P<0.05)
the darkness (-L*) of chicken thigh meat. Immersion and tumbling methods equally (P>0.05)
contributed to the yellowness (b*) of meat. Holding meat for 8 h after immersion (15.53) and 12
h after tumbling (13.97) signifi cantly (P<0.05) increased the redness (a*) in chicken thigh. The
sensory attributes of the meat samples tended to increase with the increasing holding time (P<0.05)
from 4 h to 8 h. The highest and the lowest score for the overall acceptability were obtained by the
meat marinated by the injection and immersion methods, respectively. The present study concluded
that holding marinated chicken thigh meat for 8 h improves (P<0.05) pH, WHC, cooking yield and
meat tenderness and minimizes cooking loss, drip loss and SFV. Chicken thigh meat marinated by
immersion method maximally contributes to the development of the physicochemical parameters
assessed than tumbling and injection methods. The sensory evaluation suggests that holding
injection marinated meat for 8 h attracts consumers the most.
