Rosemary as antioxidant in pressure processed chicken during subsequent cooking as evaluated by electron spin resonance spectroscopy

The potential of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) to inhibiting lipid oxidation in minced chicken breast and thigh muscle processed at 600 MPa for 10 min during subsequent heat treatment was investigated using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and electrochemical detection of oxygen consumption. Chicken breast cooked at 95 °C was found to have significantly higher rate of formation of free radicals and oxygen consumption rate than the samples cooked at 70 °C and 120 °C and this intermediate cooking temperature was used to evaluate the effect of pressure on oxidation during subsequent cooking. Rosemary was found effective in retarding lipid oxidation since the pressurized, minced chicken breast and thigh with rosemary added showed lower rate of oxygen consumption and lower tendency of free radical formation following heat treatment than the samples without rosemary. Pressurized chicken thigh showed a higher susceptibility to oxidation than chicken breast upon subsequent heat treatment. Oxidation in pressurized and subsequently heat-treated chicken breast was from a higher tendency of radical formation concluded to be in an earlier phase of oxidation compared to thigh subjected to the same treatment.Industrial relevanceHigh-pressure processing has a great potential for microbial control of raw chicken meat as a “fresh” chill-stored, convenience product for wok cooking. While raw chicken meat is oxidatively stable, high-pressure treatment at 600 MPa and above induces lipid oxidation resulting in off-flavors during subsequent cooking. Addition of 0.1% dried rosemary to minced chicken thighs or breasts prior to high-pressure processing inhibit lipid oxidation during subsequent cooking and could form the basis for product development.