Effects of hydrodynamic pressure processing on the marination and meat quality of turkey breasts

The effects of hydrodynamic pressure processing (HDP) on marination and meat quality characteristics of turkey breasts were investigated. Breast muscles from 45 turkey hens were removed from the carcasses within 30 min postmortem. From each bird, the breast from one side was treated with HDP and the other side served as a nontreated control. Breasts were then marinated in either 15 or 30% brine (water, salt, and phosphate) based on muscle weight with vacuum tumbling for 30 min or nonmarinated. The control and HDP-treated breasts from each bird received the same marination treatment. Brine uptake, processing yield, and cooking loss were measured as processing characteristics and texture, color, and expressible moisture were measured to document changes in meat quality. Hydrodynamic pressure processing increased (P < 0.001) brine uptake after 10 and 30 min of marination and increased (P < 0.001) processing yield compared with controls. The HDP-induced improvements in these processing characteristics were augmented at 30% brine levels compared with 15% brine. Cooking loss was lower (P < 0.001) in marinated breasts compared with nonmarinated samples. Hydrodynamic pressure processing decreased (P < 0.0001) Warner-Bratzler shear force and significantly influenced texture profile parameters, resulting in reduced hardness but increased cohesiveness and springiness compared with controls at both marination levels. Hydrodynamic pressure processing did not influence color (L*, a*, and b*) or expressible moisture values compared with controls at either marination level. Marinated samples (15 and 30% brine levels) had lower (P < 0.001) Warner-Bratzler shear force values and lower (P < 0.05) hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness values compared with nonmarinated samples. Data from this study suggest that HDP enhances brine absorption, increases processing yield, and improves texture characteristics in marinated turkey breasts.