EFFECT OF THE ADDITION OF STINGLESS BEE HONEY (Scaptotrigona mexicana) ON CHICKEN MEAT CONSERVATION

Abstract

Lipid and protein oxidation generates losses in the nutritional value and a reduction in total quality of meat. This study analyzed the effect of the addition of honey from stingless bees (Scaptotrigona mexicana) on the quality and conservation of ground and cooked chicken breast, during refrigeration storage. To fresh ground meat it was added 1, 3 and 5% honey, and meat without honey was used as a control. Meat with and without honey was cooked and evaluated after 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 d of storage at 4 °C. A completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement of (4x5) was used for the analysis of data. At the end of each storage period, cooking performance (RC), pH, acidity, water activity (a_w), moisture, color, texture profile (TPA), lipid oxidation (TBARS) and protein oxidation (DNPH) were evaluated. The addition of honey maintained the quality of the chicken breast for the 12 d of refrigeration storage, the physiochemical variables, as hardness, pH and color showed no significant differences. The addition of honey increased the cooking performance. Additionally, lipid and protein oxidation decreased by the honey effect, thus showing antioxidant potential; the addition of 5% was the treatment with the lowest lipid oxidation. Therefore, evaluated type of honey (from stingless bees) may be used as a functional, natural and alternative product to substitute synthetic antioxidants in chicken meat and derived products.