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

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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.