Effect of marination technique and holding time on physicochemical and sensory attributes of marinated pork chops

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of holding time on physicochemical and sensory attributes of marinated pork chops. The experimental design was 3 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments evaluating three marination techniques (unmarinated control, injection and immersion) and three holding times (4, 8 and 12-h). A total of 63 pork chop samples (40 ± 5 g) obtained from a female fattener pig (12-months old; live weight, 88 kg) were marinated and allocated randomly into treatment combinations. Uncooked and cooked pork chops were analysed for physicochemical and sensory attributes, respectively. An interaction between (P<0.05) the marination technique and the holding time was observed only for pH, cooking yield, marinade loss, hardness, redness and yellowness. Injection marination improved (P<0.05) the marinade uptake than immersion. Holding 8-h after injection marination improved pH of meat (P<0.05). Cooking loss was affected (P<0.01) by the technique of marination. Holding pork chops for 8-h after injection and immersion marination (P>0.05) resulted the highest cooking yield. Meat held for 12-h after immersion marination (4.64%) and unmarinated control (4.45%) held for 12-h resulted the highest (P<0.05) marinade loss. Treatments when held at 8-h reported the highest tenderness. Meat subjected to immersion and injection marination and held for 4 and 8-h increased (P<0.05) the redness (a*). Unmarinated control poorly developed the yellowness (P>0.05) over three holding times. Injection marination resulted the highest scores for flavour, marinade penetration and overall acceptability when held for 8-h. Holding pork chops for 8-h after injection marination maximized cooking yield, tenderness, redness, yellowness while minimizing marinade loss. The panelists preferred mostly the meat marinated using injection method held for 8-h. Direct application of marinade into meat during injection process have resulted meat quality to improve. In conclusion, the injection method with 8-h holding time best contributes to the development of physicochemical and sensory attributes of pork chops.