Sorption Isotherm and Effect of Packaging Materials on Proximate, Organoleptic and Lipid Oxidation Quality of Chicken Nuggets Stored at Two Different Temperatures

The study Investigated sorption isotherm features and the effects of packaging materials of both high-density and low-density polyethylene on sensory properties, proximate composition and lipid oxidation of chicken nuggets in storage. Boneless chicken breast was procured from a reputable source and cut into sizeable weight of 50g each to produce the chicken nuggets used for the studies. The experimental setup for sorption isotherm analysis in this study involved using a gravimetric method to equilibrate the product at various relative humidity levels. Five (5g) grams of oven-dried chicken nugget samples of known moisture content were placed in a controlled humidity chamber, and the weight changes of the samples were monitored until equilibrium was reached. GAB equation was used to evaluate the product ware activity and monolayer moisture. Sensory assessment was evaluated using a 9- point hedonic scale while proximate composition of the chicken nuggets samples was determined according to the methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay was used to measure malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as a marker of lipid oxidation. The investigation showed that sensory qualities, proximate composition and lipid oxidation of chicken nuggets were markedly affected by the variance in temperature settings, with distinct disparities seen among different materials for packaging. Chicken nuggets stored at 25 0C caused a significant loss in organoleptic properties and some nutritional composition such as protein and fat. Storage of chicken nugget at 25 0C and 40 C showed a varied values in malondialdehyde as content ranged from 0.52 to 0.81 for chicken nugget stored at 250 C and 0.17 to 0.43 for the product stored at 40 C across the packaging materials investigated. The water activity and monolayer moisture results of sorption analysis revealed that good packaging materials of very low water vapour transmission rate should be used for storage of chicken nuggets as high-density polyethylene offered a promising alternative than low density polyethylene.