Sensory evaluation of Indian-style marinated chicken by Malaysian and European naive assessors

This study was carried out to determine the sensory acceptability of chicken breast fillets marinated with 13 different commercially available Indian-style marinades. Thirty-four naive assessors (untrained panelists), 20 Malaysian and 14 European, were selected to assess the following sensory attributes: color, color uniformity, Tikka-Masala aroma, Tikka-Masala flavor, herblike flavor, hotness, authenticity, juiciness and overall acceptability. The color of the cooked samples and the pH, moisture and fat content of the marinades were analyzed instrumentally. Marinades were applied to the chicken fillets, which were then dry cooked at 170C for 15 min to an internal temperature of 73C. Sensory evaluation showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in color uniformity, hotness and juiciness of the cooked marinated chicken perceived between groups. Samples marinated with marinades L and I received the highest score from the Malaysian panelists in terms of overall acceptability, whereas marinades A and F were chosen by the European group.