DEVELOPMENT OF WARMED-OVER FLAVOR IN-GROUND TURKEY, CHICKEN AND PORK MEAT DURING CHILL STORAGE - A MODEL OF THE EFFECTS OF HEATING TEMPERATURE AND STORAGE TIME

The susceptibility towards development of warmed-over flavour (WOF) wa s investigated in meat from turkey and chicken breast and thigh, and f rom pork longissimus dorsi muscle. Ground meat samples from these five sources were heated for 30 min in a water bath at 60, 70 or 80 degree s C, and the samples were stored at 5 degrees C for 0-4 days. During s torage, WOF was quantified by measurement of thiobarbituric-acid-react ive substances (TBARS) and by sensory evaluations. The increase in TBA RS was modelled for each type of meat at the different heating tempera tures by a first-order reaction, and it was shown that a common rate c onstant could be used for all types of meat. The estimated maximum lev els of TBARS in meat samples decreased in the following order: turkey thigh > chicken thigh > turkey breast > chicken breast > pork. For eac h type of meat, the estimated maximum level of TBARS rose when the hea ting temperature increased in the range 60-80 degrees C. This temperat ure effect was particularly obvious for the chicken samples. Thus thig h and breast meat from chicken heated to 60 degrees C was almost stabl e against oxidation during storage. Results obtained by measurement of TBARS were in good agreement with the sensory evaluations.