Sensory quality of marinated frozen stored chicken thighs as affected by dietary fish fat and vitamin E

Abstract

The effects of diets containing fish meal (0 or 4%), fish silage (0 or 4%) and vitamin E (60 or 200 mg kg–1) and the processing effect of marinating with sodium citrate (0.24 or 0.48%) or ascorbate (0.31 or 0.62%) have been studied to test the hypothesis that oxidative stability of frozen stored chicken thighs can be improved by such treatments. A trained sensory panel assessed the samples after storage at –25 °C for 1 week, 3 and 6 months. Feed with 4% fish meal resulted in increased fish flavour and odour of the thighs while 4% fish silage had a smaller effect on these attributes. Fish meal and fish silage added together into the feed by an amount of 4% each, caused strong fish flavour and odour in the product and accelerated the rancidity process. High concentration of vitamin E (200 mg kg–1) in the feed reduced rancidity when 4% fish products had been added to the feed, but no effect was noted when 4% fish meal plus 4% fish silage had been added together. High concentration of ascorbate in the brine (0.62%) decreased sensory score for rancidity attributes (hay, grass, soap and paint), while high concentration of citrate (0.48%) increased these parameters in frozen stored chicken thighs.