Effects of pale, normal, and dark chicken breast meat on microstructure, extractable proteins, and cooking of marinated fillets

The effects of chicken breast meat lightness value (L*) on microstructure, protein extraction, and marinating and tumbling was investigated. Pale soft, and exudative (PSE) meat (L* = 57.7, pH 5.72) showed significantly lower salt soluble protein extraction with less heavy myosin chains compared with dark, firm, and dry (DFD) meat (L* = 44.8, pH 6.27). The PSE meat showed larger intercellular spaces among muscle fibers and bundles compared with normal and DFD meat. Marinated and tumbled PSE breast fillets had higher unbound brine compared with the other meats. Further cooking resulted in lower yield and higher shear force values for the PSE meat compared with normal and DFD fillets.