Improvement of the Chemical and Microbial Quality of Marketed Chicken Meat Using Organic Acids

This study aimed to determine the impact of organic acids (acetic acid, lactic acid, and lemon juice) at concentrations 1% and 2% to enhance sensory parameters and chicken meat’s chemical and microbiological quality. Seventy chicken meat samples were collected from Damanhur city market , Egypt. The samples were divided into seven groups control, where collected chicken samples were represented by control, acetic acid 1%, acetic acid 2%, lactic acid 1%, lactic acid 2%, lemon juice 1% and lemon juice 2% treated groups after dipping for 5 minutes (35 samples, 5 for each group) also, after 10 minutes the protocol repeated. The results indicated that sensory evaluation of all treated samples was improved, especially in the acetic acid 2% and lactic acid 2% treated groups. The pH significantly decreased in all treatments, especially lactic and acetic 2% at 10 minutes of dipping. The TVN and TBA mean values were reduced in all treated groups, especially under the effect of acetic acid 2% for 10 minutes. The APC, the TEC and the TCC mean values were reduced in all treated groups, especially under the acetic acid 2% effect after 5 and 10 minutes. The S. aureus count and the total pseudomonas count mean values were reduced under acetic acid 2%, respectively. It was concluded that acetic acid 2% in dipping water for 10 minutes is highly effective in decontaminating chicken meat and improving the sensory character, reducing chemical changes.