Abstract
The effect on taste compounds was investigated in the minced meat of chicken thigh cooked by six different methods: heating by microwave (500 W for 7 min, M), heating by convection heater (210°C for 35 min, O), and heating by four other combined types (M for 3 min+O for 30 min, C1; M for 4 min+O for 25 min, C2; M for 5 min+O for 20 min, C3; and M for 6 min+O for 15 min, C4). The content of 5'-IMP was highest in the M sample and reduced with increasing convection heating. The contents of glutamic acid and other free amino acids did not vary among the differing heating conditions. The peptide with MW 18,000 decreased during convection heating, suggesting that the smaller peptides were increased by protein degradation, the taste of the cooked chicken being most affected by these smaller peptides. The effect on 5'-IMP and the smaller peptides, which most contributed to the taste, implies that combined heating by microwave and convection was the best method for cooking chicken.
