Abstract:
To investigate the effects of compound spice essential oils from rosemary and cinnamon combined with modified atmosphere packaging (MEP) on myofibrillar protein oxidation and volatile flavor compounds in Sanhuang chicken during refrigeration (4 ℃, 1~10 d). Air packaging (CON) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) were used as controls. Changes in carbonyl content, sulfhydryl content, surface hydrophobicity, and volatile flavor compounds in breast muscle myofibrillar proteins were analyzed during storage. The results showed that carbonyl content and surface hydrophobicity of myofibrillar proteins gradually increased, while sulfhydryl content decreased during refrigeration in all three packaging groups. On the 10th day of refrigeration, the carbonyl content in the MEP group was 33.04% and 22.82% lower than that in the CON and MAP groups, respectively. The reduction rate of sulfhydryl content in the MEP group was 12.21%, which was significantly lower than the 21.80% observed in the CON group(
P<0.05). A total of 71 volatile flavor compounds were identified in chicken breast meat packaged in three different ways during refrigeration. Among them, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone was the key flavor substance of chicken breast meat in CON and MAP, and dimethyl trisulfide was the key characteristic flavor substance of MEP sample group. Correlation analysis further confirmed that 3-hydroxy-2-butanone was a potential marker for myofibrillar protein oxidation process in chicken breast meat during refrigeration. These research findings can provide theoretical support for quality control during the storage of poultry meat.