Effect of Carnosine Supplementation on Warmed-Over Flavor, Volatile Compounds, and Meat Quality in Ground Chicken Breast and Thigh Meat.

Lipid oxidation produces an unpleasant warmed-over flavor (WOF) in meat. In this study, the antioxidant peptide carnosine (Car) was added to minced chicken breast and thigh meat, and its effect on WOF, volatile compounds, and meat quality during refrigerated storage was assessed. Breast and thigh meat patties were supplemented with four levels of Car (0, 1.0, 2.5, and 15 mg/g meat) and stored under refrigerated conditions for 1, 3, and 7 days. After that, WOF, volatile components, and meat quality factors were analyzed. The sensory attribute 'oxidized oil odor', a WOF indicator, was affected by Car supplementation and was lowest in samples supplemented with Car at 15 mg/g meat (Car15). In addition, some volatile aldehydes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in cooked meat causing WOF were lowest in Car15. Instead, samples supplemented with Car at 1.0 or 2.5 mg/g meat did not show significant differences in WOF, volatiles, or TBARS compared to controls without Car supplementation. Other meat quality parameters, such as pH, increased in Car15 samples; whereas L* and cooking loss decreased. In summary, supplementation of chicken breast and thigh meat with 15 mg/g Car reduced WOF intensity through inhibition of lipid peroxidation and influenced multiple meat quality parameters.