INHIBITION OF PINK COLOR DEVELOPMENT IN COOKED, UNCURED GROUND TURKEYTHROUGH THE BINDING OF NON-PINK GENERATING LIGANDS TO MUSCLE PIGMENTS

The pink color defect in cooked, uncured turkey is a sporadic problem that can result in economic loss and consumer dissatisfaction. Fourtee n Ligands were tested in ground turkey samples for their ability to re duce pink color development-in control samples and in the presence of 150 ppm sodium nitrite or 1.0% nicotinamide (pink color producing agen ts). The 14 ligands evaluated were: 3-amino pyridine (AP), 4-benzoylpy ridine (BP), diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DA), ethylenedinitri lo-tetraacetic acid disodium salt (EA), 2,3 dihydroxybenzoic acid (DB) , 3-ethyl pyridine (EP), trans 1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N',N' tetraa cetic acid monohydrate (HA), calcium reduced nonfat dried milk (NM), 2 ,3 phthalic acid (PA), 3-picoline (PC), pyrrole (PY), pyridazine (PZ), pyridinedicarboxcylic acid (YA), and pyrazinedicarboxcylic acid (ZA). All ligands were incorporated into ground turkey at 0.20 mg/g (meat w eight basis) except for NM (30 mg/g). Color was evaluated using a refl ectance spectrophotometer to measure pigment changes (nicotinamide hem ochrome, nitrosohemochrome) and with a chroma meter to determine CIE L a* b* values. Reduction in pink color development was apparent with the addition of the ligand alone and in the presence of sodium nitrite and especially nicotinamide. The four most effective ligands tested w ere DA, EA, HA, and NM. In general, pink color reduction was highest i n the ligand only and the ligand plus nicotinamide samples as was obse rved by CIE a and nicotinamide hemochrome value reductions.