31P NMR analysis of chicken breast meat vacuum tumbled with NaCl and various phosphates

The hydrolysis of several commercially used phosphates was studied in chicken breast meat marinated and tumbled in 70 g kg^?1 NaCl and 12 g kg^?1 of either disodium pyrophosphate (DSPP), tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP), tetrapotassium pyrophosphate (TKPP), sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) or glass phosphate. After treatment, intact muscle was ground in the presence of EDTA‐Na₂ to prevent further enzymatic breakdown of phosphates. TSPP and TKPP were fully hydrolysed within 1.25 h, STPP within 3.25 h, DSPP within 6 h and glass phosphate within 24 h. DSPP lowered the muscle pH from 5.97 to 5.60, while TSPP and TKPP increased the pH to 6.10 and 6.19 respectively. Based on PP chemical shifts, the pH was found to increase with time. No evidence of tripolyphosphate (TPP) in the STPP‐treated samples was found, suggesting that it had already been hydrolysed to pyrophosphate (PP) or monophosphate (Pi) during treatment. PP hydrolysis occurred at about the same rate as Pi production in STPP‐treated samples. Pi production in meat treated with glass phosphate was relatively slow, indicating a lack of muscle enzymes capable of breaking down long‐chain phosphates. Late production of Pi after depletion of oligophosphate was attributed to hydrolysis of cellular phosphates. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry