Effect of final cooked temperature on tenderness, protein solubility and microstructure of duck breast muscle

Changes in Warner-Bratzler shear force, cooking loss, protein solubility and microstructure of duck breast muscle cooked to 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 95 °C were determined. Warner-Bratzler shear force was found to increase in two separate phases from internal temperature of 40-50 °C and again from 60 to 95 °C (P < 0.05), with a decrease from 50 to 60 °C. With increasing internal temperature cooking loss gradually increased while protein solubility significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Two significant decreases in fiber diameter were observed in samples cooked to internal temperatures of 40-50 °C (P < 0.01) and 70-80 °C (P < 0.01). The sarcomere length decreased for the most part with increased internal temperature from ambient (raw) to 95 °C, but with a noticeable increase between 50 and 60 °C (P < 0.01). It was found that the amount of protein solubility and shrinkage of sarcomere significantly correlated with tenderness of duck meat during cooking process.

► Toughness of duck meat increases in two separate phases when cooking up to 95 °C. ► With increasing internal temperature cooking loss gradually increased while protein solubility significantly decreased. ► Shrinkage either in transverse or longitudinal directions of duck meat occur during the cooking process.