Analysis of frozen chicken meat using differential scanning calorimetry

Abstract

The paper analyses the effect of cooling/heating rate of chicken meat (Pectoralis major) on the crystallization temperature (Tcon, Tc, Tcend), melting temperature (Tmon, Tm, Tmend), crystallization enthalpy (ΔHc) and melting enthalpy (ΔHm). Chicken meat samples were scanned by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at five rates (2, 5, 10, 15, 20 °C/min), from 20 °C to -40 °C, and then from -40 °C to 20 °C.The results of the statistical analysis show that the fastest cooling rate (20 °C/min) significantly (p<0.05) affects the mean enthalpy value (-202.87 J/g) compared to other analysed rates. The cooling/heating rate affects the crystallization temperature (Tcon, Tc, Tcend) and melting temperature (Tmon, Tm, Tmend) (p<0.05). The heating rate of chicken meat highly correlates with Tm, Tmend and ΔTm (the correlation coefficients were 0.993, 0.998 and 0.998, respectively).

Keywords

• dsc
• chicken meat
• crystallization
• melting
• freezable water
• unfreezable water