EFFECTS OF RIGOR STATE AND ADDITION OF POLYPHOSPHATE ON THE COLOR OF COOKED TURKEY MEAT

Pectoralis major muscles were excised from 32 turkeys immediately afte r slaughter. Half (prerigor) were immediately treated with sodium trip olyphosphate (STPP) plus NaCl or NaCl alone (control) and the other ha lf (postrigor) were stored overnight at 4 C and then treated similarly . The muscles were vacuum-sealed, cooked, and then stored for 4 d at 4 C. Raw and treated meat pH and objective color (L, a*, and b*) were evaluated. Mean pH for the postrigor control muscles was 5.93 whereas that of the prerigor control muscles was 6.19. Treatment with STPP inc reased pH in both groups but the increase was greater for the prerigor group (.17 vs.58 units). The STPP significantly increased a values o f prerigor muscles (8.8 vs 10.7) but a of postrigor muscles were unaf fected (9.6 vs 9.3). The L and b* values were the same for all groups . The data suggest that treating prerigor turkey muscle with STPP befo re resolution of rigor might result in meat pH values sufficiently hig h to alter ultimate product color.