Effect of phosphate and pectin on quality and shelf-life of marinated chicken breast

Fresh split chicken breasts were injected with 5% sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), 5% sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), 2.5% Genu pectin (GENU), or the combination of 5% SAPP with 2.5% GENU and 5% STPP with 2.5% GENU. Calcium lactate (0.1 M) solution was sprayed on the surface of chicken marinated in pectin. Marinated samples were stored at 4C for 7 days to evaluate changes in the psychrotrophic bacterial count and quality. STPP injected chicken b reast had highest (alpha=0.05) marinade pickup, net weight increase, cook y ield and moisture content. SAPP injected chicken had intermediate marinade pickup, but lowest retention in the muscle among all treatments. Marinades with pectin or pectin combined with phosphate had lower pickup but higher m arinade retention compared with SAPP injected breasts. The water holding ca pacity (WHC) of STPP and GENU injected cooked chicken breast was higher tha n SAPP injected samples or control. All marinated chicken breasts had signi ficantly lower shear force than noninjected control. Neither phosphate nor pectin had a significant influence on microbial activity of marinated chick en.