Development of freshness indicator for monitoring chicken breast quality and freshness during storage.

An indicator for freshness and quality measurement was utilized to perceive changes in freshness quality while storing chicken breasts. Visible color changes of the indicator shows spoilage and freshness of the packaged products. In addition, changes in pH, volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), and Pseudomonas spp. were monitored. The color change sensor (ΔE) reflected the headspace pH during the chicken breasts' packaging process. After storing chicken breast at 20 °C for 24 h, the color change (ΔE) of the indicator for freshness and quality measurement changed. The color change (ΔE) values were correlated with quality characteristics such as sensory, microbiological, and chemical properties that were popularly used to settle the freshness of chicken breast. In conclusion, the results showed that the indicator for freshness and quality measurement was useful in settling the shelf life of chicken breast products by physicochemical changes and monitoring microbial safety. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-022-01034-x. © The Korean Society of Food Science and Technology 2022.