Tenderization of spent fowl drumsticks by marination in weak organic solutions

Summary Drumsticks from spent layer hens marinated in 2% NaCl brine for 72 h to improve ‘tenderness’ as measured by shear‐force, showed reduction of 40% of shear force of the meat. Marinating in 1.5% lactic or acetic acid for 72h reduced shear‐force of the M. gastrocnemius by 21.7‐fold and 8.1‐fold, respectively to values comparable to those observed for broiler chicken drumstick meat. the presence of NaCl in lactic or acetic acid marinating solutions reduced the effect. Lower acid concentration (0.5%) in brine and the shorter time of marination (36 h) produced less change. Vacuum tumbling of drumsticks in lactic or acetic acid with 2% NaCl for 2 h reduced the shear values of drumstick M. gastrocnemius by ∼50%, but longer periods had no further effect. Neutralization of the acidic taste of marinated drumstick meat with corresponding salts of the acids (1.5% sodium lactate or sodium acetate or sodium bicarbonate) reversed the change to an extent dependent on the type of salt used and change in pH level.