Effect of ammonium hydroxide on textural and ultrastructural properties of spent hen meat

Beneficial effects of ammonium hydroxide was studied, to optimize the ammonium hydroxide concentration for effective tenderization of spent hen meat. Spent hen meat chunks were subjected to ammonium hydroxide treatment (AHT) at different concentrations (0%, 0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0% v/w) and evaluated for different quality parameters after 24 hours. The results indicated a significant increase in pH, water holding capacity, total and myofibrillar protein solubility, collagen solubility in 0.5% and 1.0% AHT samples relative to control with significant reduction in Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) for all AHT meat chunks. The SDS-PAGE photographs also revealed a reduction in the band colour intensity in all AHT samples compared to control indicating breakdown of proteins. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also confirms the proteolysis and breakdown of muscle fibres in AHT samples. These results clearly suggest the tenderizing effects of ammonium hydroxide in spent hen meat. There was no significant improvement in tenderness at 1% level compared to 0.5% level, therefore ammonium hydroxide at 0.5% was suggested as the optimal for the spent hen chicken tenderization.