Summary The potential of nonenzymatic glycation of myofibrillar proteins (MPs) to improve the gelation functionalities of pale, soft and exudative (PSE‐like) chicken breast meat was investigated. MP suspensions (4 mg mL−1) obtained from both normal and PSE‐like chicken breast meat were mixed with glucosamine at a ratio of 1:6 (protein : glucosamine) in phosphate‐buffered saline (0.6 m KCl, 20 mm K2HPO4/KH2PO4, 0.02% NaN3 and pH 7.5) and incubated at 37 °C for 12 h. Untreated normal and PSE‐like MP suspensions maintained at 4 °C were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The glycation treatment increased the surface hydrophobicity but decreased the reactive sulfhydryl contents compared to those of the control (P < 0.05), indicating that the tertiary conformation of the protein changed. Correspondingly, these glycated samples also exhibited significant improvements in gel strength and the water‐holding capacity (P < 0.05). Conclusively, nonenzymatic glycation is a potential technique to improve the properties and offer a means for effective use of PSE‐like meat.

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