Effect of marination on lightness of broiler breast fillets varies with raw meat color attributes

Marination effect on meat color L* values was evaluated in chicken breast fillets with different color attributes. Samples were marinated in a vacuum tumbler. Color was measured on the fillet dorsal side at 4 h (pre-marination) and 48 h postmortem (PM). There was no difference (P < 0.05) in L* values between non-marinated 4 h and 48 h pale samples; however, L* values in marinated pale fillets at 48 h PM decreased by more than 5 units. L* values in non-marinated normal and dark fillets increased by more than 5 units at 48 h PM. But L* values of marinated normal fillets were lower than non-marinated controls by more than 3 units and there was no difference in L* values between marinated samples and controls in dark fillets after 48 h PM. Data demonstrate that marination reduces lightness in pale breast fillets, prevents lightness in normal fillets from increasing during PM aging, and has no effect on lightness in dark fillets. (c) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.