Two experiments were performed to study the use of papaya leaves as a meat tenderizer.  The first experiment was to evaluate the effect of papaya dry leaves added to hens’ diet before slaughter. Spent hens (n=48) were used, half of them were fed a concentrate ration containing10% dried papaya leaves powder (DPLP) while others received layer ration (Control), for 10 days. The second experiment involved a comparison between papaya leaves juice (PLJ), fresh papaya leaves (FPL) and vinegar solution (VS) as marinades applied to meat for one or two hours before cooking. Spent layer hens (n=42) were used for tenderness evaluation method. After slaughtering and preparing the chickens two methods of cooking were used (oven and moist cooking). The cooked parts (breast, thigh and drumstick) were subjected to a panel test evaluation according to a designed questionnaire. Addition of dried papaya leaves powder to spent layer hens ration significantly (P≤0.05) increased the level of meat tenderness. Moist cooking had significantly (P≤0.05) improved meat tenderization compared to oven cooking. Meat treated with fresh papaya leaves had significantly (P≤0.05) improved tenderness. It was concluded that wrapping the tough meat of spent layer hens with fresh papaya leaves for one hour and moist cooking improve tenderness of meat.

Key words: Meat tenderness, Moist cooking, Papaya leaves, Spent hens