Applying multicriteria analysis for choosing the best marination for pork

Objective. This research aimed to choose a best marination solution using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Materials and methods. Pork meat samples were collected in a commercial slaughterhouse, and they were randomly distributed in four treatments with three different salt contents blend. Color, pH, retention of the solution, exudate and cooking loss, shear force and sensory attributes were assessed and evaluated. Multicriteria analysis using AHP was applied to the results in order to choose the best overall marination solution. Criteria used for selection were the physical and sensory characteristics of meat, and based on these criteria were classified solutions marination. Results. Results showed that the combination of the salts was the best alternative (Na2CO3+NaCl+Na5P3O10), followed by the solutions of (Na2CO3 + NaCl), and (Na5P3O10 + NaCl). Conclusions. All tested solutions with the salts used alone or in combination led to better physical and sensory attributes than the meat not marinated.