Problem: Meat Flavor Deterioration
Meat Flavor Deterioration or "MFD" is a term we use to describe what consumers frequently call "warmed over flavor" or "refrigerator taste." "MFD" is characterized by a loss of flavor quality and development of off-flavors. Trained sensory panels use descriptors like "stale," "cardboard-like," "leftovers," or "damp dog hair" to define the objectionable odor and flavor associated with MFD. Meat and poultry that has been cooked, refrigerated, and then reheated is most likely to suffer from MFD, but unacceptable flavor changes can also be detected after first-time cooking of even minimally processed meat and poultry.
MFD is initiated during processing procedures such as grinding, cutting, freezing, tumbling, massaging, and/or cooking. Iron liberated from meat pigments catalyzes oxidative degradation of highly unsaturated lean tissue phospholipids. This oxidative reaction differs from triglyceride oxidation (oxidation of fat tissue) in two ways: it takes place at an exponentially faster rate; and the off-flavors produced are different from typical rancid flavors. While off-flavors develop, rich, meaty flavors fade and are overwhelmed by off-flavors produced by oxidation reactions. This irreversable combination of flavor changes constitues the word form 'MFD."
Solution: Inhibiting Meat Flavor Deterioration
Herbalox® Seasoning is an effective inhibitor of meat flavor deterioration in value-added products. Figure 1 shows the effect of adding Herbalox® Seasoning to a 'typical' water, salt, and phosphate marinade used to tumble chicken for a restructured nugget. Chicken pieces were tumbled in the marinades, breaded, cooked, then refrigerated for a week. The Thiobarbituric Acid assay (TBA) was used to evaluate the extent of the oxidative deterioration in the nuggets. (Higher TBA numbers correspond with greater oxidative deterioration. Values greater than 1.5 are associated with MFD). The data clearly demonstrates the value of including Herbalox® Seasoning in marinades and tumbling solutions.
Chemical analytical methods are important tools for evaluating product quality. Numbers obtained from these assays are even more meaningful, if accompanied by sensory evaluation. Therefore, when analyzing a food product for quality, it is very important to know how it tastes and smells.
Figure 2 shows sensory data that corresponds with the TBA numbers in Figure 1. Sensory evaluation shows that including Herbalox® Seasoning in a water, salt, phosphate marinade delayed the onset of MFD until day 4 in the test sample, while the control was identified as having MFD at day 2. These results, combined with substantially lower TBA numbers, are compelling evidence of the effectiveness for the use of Herbalox® Seasoning in inhibiting MFD in poultry products.
