Independent and combined effects of high pressure, microwave, soluble gas stabilization, modified atmosphere and vacuum packaging on microbiological and physicochemical shelf life of precooked chicken breast slices. (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dang, Tem Thi; Rode, Tone Mari; Skipnes, Dagbjørn
• Is Part Of: Journal of food engineering. Volume 292(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: Chicken -- High pressure -- Microwave -- Soluble gas stabilization -- Modified atmosphere packaging -- Vacuum packaging; Food industry and trade -- Periodicals; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Aliments -- Industrie et commerce -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Analyse -- Périodiques; Aliments -- Recherche -- Périodiques; 664.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2020.110352
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0260-8774

Abstract

Abstract: The study aimed at extending shelf life without compromising quality of precooked chicken breast slices by various packaging and processing technologies. The slices were packaged in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP, 40% CO2, 60% N2 ), vacuum packaging (VAC, 93% vacuum), processed with high pressure (HPP, 600 MPa, 2 min), microwave volumetric heating (MVH, 1 kW, 3 × 15 s), soluble gas stabilization (SGS, 100% CO2, 18 h, 1 °C) followed by MAP (SGS-MAP), SGS followed by VAC (SGS-VAC), SGS followed by HPP (SGS-HPP), and SGS followed by MVH (SGS-MVH). The eight treatments were studied for their microbial and physicochemical quality during 4 °C storage for maximum 119 d. The results showed that MAP, the most common commercial packaging of ready-to-eat chicken, was slightly superior to VAC but much inferior to HPP, MVH, and SGS in microbial control. HPP, with/without SGS, was the most efficient method extending the shelf life of precooked chicken to more than three months. SGS improved microbial inhibition compared to non-SGS, but synergetic effects with HPP or MVH on microbial and physicochemical quality were insignificant. All treated chickens shared relatively comparable color, texture, pH and drip loss. These quality attributes changed marginally during storage while lipid oxidation increased markedly. HPP and MVH reduced lipid oxidation right after treatment and during storage. SGS suppressed the lipid oxidation but this effect did not last longer than two weeks of storage. Highlights: HPP with/without SGS extended shelf life of precooked chicken to more than 3 months at 4 °C. CO2 SGS prolonged precooked chicken shelf life up to 3-fold longer than non-SGS. MAP was superior to VAC but inferior to HPP, MVH and SGS in shelf life extension. Precooked chicken treated with MAP, VAC, HPP, MVH, SGS-MAP, SGS-VAC, SGS-HPP, and SGS-MVH had stable physicochemical quality. HPP, MVH, and SGS suppressed lipid oxidation of precooked chicken.