Effect on the Quality Characteristics of Turkey Breast Muscle of Tumbling Whole Carcasses in the Presence of Salt and Phosphate

Abstract

Turkey carcasses were injected with 0 or 7% sodium chloride solution in the presence or absence of 12% sodium tripolyphosphates at 3% of the body weight. Following injection, carcasses were divided into a tumbled and non-tumbled group. Tumbling was carried out in a cold room (5 C) in a laboratory-sized tumbler for 2 h at 20 rpm with 10-min rest intervals for every 10 min of tumbling until a total of 1 h of tumbling was achieved. Tumbling and salt treatments significantly reduced cooking losses and shear values and increased the concentration of total protein in the exudate, but did not significantly affect expressible moisture. Sodium tripolyphosphate significantly reduced shear values and improved myofibrillar protein extraction. Sensory properties (juiciness, tenderness, and flavor) of the cooked meat were significantly improved when the carcasses were injected with either salt/or phosphate or both. However, tumbling did not show any significant effect on sensory properties. Results generally indicated that tumbling in the presence of salt or phosphate improved myofibrillar protein extraction and tumbling independent of salt and phosphate improved protein extractability of turkey meat.