Quality Changes in Chicken Meat Marinated With Antioxidant-Rich Fruit and Vegetable Juices

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of marination with antioxidant-rich fruit juices—pomegranate, black carrot, and red beet—on the textural, physicochemical, technological, and sensory properties of chicken breast meat. Key parameters, including color, pH, water-holding capacity (WHC), marinade absorption, cooking loss (CL), textural properties, TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), and sensory attributes, were evaluated. Among the tested juices, pomegranate had the highest acidity. Black carrot contained the highest total phenolic content (TPC) but showed the lowest ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activity (p < 0.05). Marination resulted in a reduction in pH, with the lowest values observed in pomegranate-marinated samples. Although marination influenced WHC, the changes were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CL values were significantly reduced in marinated samples (p < 0.05). Marination also affected color, with red beet increasing the b* value and black carrot decreasing it (p < 0.05). Textural properties, such as hardness, significantly increased with pomegranate and red beet juices (p < 0.05), while other textural attributes remained unaffected (p > 0.05). Sensory evaluation revealed no significant differences in flavor and texture, although color was notably influenced by the marination process (p < 0.05). Control and RB gave the highest values in terms of general acceptability. These findings suggest that marination with pomegranate, black carrot, and red beet juices may contribute to improving antioxidative properties and improve the textural quality of chicken breast meat.