Mechanistic insights into the divergent tenderness evolution of Wenchang and Huangma chickens during coconut water stewing.
- 2026-04
- Food chemistry: X 35
- PubMed: 42028549
- DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2026.103863
Study Design
- Methods
- Contrasting Wenchang chicken (WC) with Huangma chicken (YC) during coconut water stewing; measured heating rate, protein oxidation and denaturation, myofibril contraction, T21 relaxation time, and microstructural changes.
- Duration
- 20 minutes
- Funding
- Unclear
This study aimed to unravel the mechanism behind the paradoxical rapid tenderization of Wenchang chicken (WC) during coconut water stewing by contrasting its behavior with Huangma chicken (YC). WC exhibited a faster heating rate, allowing it to surpass critical protein denaturation temperatures ahead of YC. This accelerated thermal kinetics triggered an earlier and more intense protein oxidation and denaturation. The key mechanistic finding was that the faster heating induced a predominant transverse contraction of myofibrils in WC, which forcefully expelled immobilized water, leading to a swift tenderness transition. This was confirmed by a rapid decrease in T21 relaxation time and distinct microstructural changes. WC reached its optimal tenderness at 15 min, whereas YC required 20 min. This work moves beyond conventional paradigms by identifying the direction of myofibrillar shrinkage as a critical factor in meat texture, providing a theoretical foundation for precision cooking based on intrinsic material properties.
Research Insights
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