Effect of high-oxygen atmosphere packaging on oxidative stability and sensory quality of two chicken muscles during chill storage

• Protein thiols were lost in chicken breast and thigh during storage in HiOX MAP.
• Protein disulfide cross-link formation was found in chicken breast and thigh.
• The sensory quality of chicken breast was diminished when stored in HiOX MAP.
• The sensory quality of chicken thigh was unaffected by storage in HiOX MAP.

The oxidative stability and sensory quality of chicken breast (m. pectoralis) and thigh (m. peroneus longus) stored in high-oxygen modified atmosphere (MAP-O2), non-oxygen modified atmosphere (MAP-N2), or vacuum for up to 9 days at 5 °C were investigated. Protein thiol concentration in breasts and thighs decreased significantly between 5 and 9 days storage in MAP-O2 compared to non-oxygen storage, and resulted in myosin heavy chain disulfide cross-links. Thiol loss and protein cross-link formation were more pronounced in thighs compared to breasts, and a similar tendency was seen for the formation of secondary lipid oxidation products. However, while breast stored in MAP-O2 clearly scored lower in tenderness and higher in rancidity compared to breast in non-oxygen storage, the effect of MAP-O2 for the sensory quality of thigh was negligible. These results show that thigh is more suitable for storage in MAP-O2 than breast, indicating that the negative effect MAP-O2 may have on the oxidative stability and sensory quality of meat varies between different muscles.

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