The objective was to characterize texture properties of raw and cooked broiler fillets (Pectoralis major) with the wooden breast condition (WBC) using the instrumental texture techniques of Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear (MORS) and Texture Profile Analysis (TPA). Deboned (3 h postmortem) broiler fillets were collected from a commercial plant and categorized as normal, moderate, or severe WBC based on the incidence and severity of diffuse hardened areas throughout fillets and the degree of palpable hardness. The fillets were then either stored at 4°C overnight or in a -20°C freezer. The MORS and TPA of the raw samples were determined at 24 h postmortem for fresh samples and after thawing overnight for frozen samples. The same measurements were also taken after the samples were cooked to 78°C. Regardless of freshness (fresh vs. frozen-thawed), cooking (raw vs. cooked), and degree of WBC, both MORS force and energy of the WBC samples were higher than that of the normal samples (P < 0.05). For TPA adhesiveness and resilience, there were no differences between normal and WBC samples (P > 0.05). However, average TPA hardness and chewiness measurements of the fillets with WBC were higher than the normal fillets (P < 0.05). Regardless of texture measurement, there were no interactions between freshness and the wooden condition or no differences between moderate and severe WBC fillets (P > 0.05). These results demonstrate that there are significant differences in instrumental texture properties between normal fillets and those exhibiting the WBC. The WBC fillets required more force to cut through, harder, and chewier than normal breast muscles. These results suggest that cooked WBC meat would likely be tougher than cooked normal meat.

The woody breast (WB) condition negatively influences the texture characteristics and quality of intact broiler breast fillets (Pectoralis major). But the impact of WB on ground meat is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of WB on the texture and cook loss of ground meat made of broiler breast fillets. Broiler breasts (deboned 3 h postmortem) were collected on 3 separate trial d from the commercial deboning line and classified into normal and severe WB fillet categories. Individual fillets were either ground and formed into patties or left intact prior to being stored for 7 d at -20°C. Samples were then cooked directly from the frozen state to an endpoint temperature of 76 °C for cook loss, instrumental (patties: Allo-Kramer shear; fillets: Warner-Bratzler shear), and descriptive sensory analysis of texture. Cook loss was greater (P < 0.05) in intact WB fillets compared to that in intact normal fillets, but there was no difference (P > 0.05) between WB and normal patties. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in shear force between normal and WB samples regardless of meat type. Sensory analysis showed that average scores of springiness and hardness of intact WB fillets were greater than those of normal fillets (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in average scores for sensory attributes cohesiveness, hardness, juiciness, fibrous, and rate of breakdown between WB and normal patties. WB patties exhibited lower springiness and chewiness scores (P < 0.05) than normal patties. Data suggest that undesirable differences in sensory texture characteristics between cooked intact WB and normal breast meat can be minimized in a ground product.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the wooden breast (WB) condition on the texture of cooked broiler breast fillets (Pectoralis major) after fresh and frozen storage. Texture characteristics of normal (NORM) and severe WB fillets were studied by both sensory descriptive analyses and Warner-Bratzler shear force. Broiler breast fillets were collected over 3 separate trial days from a commercial deboning line at 3 h postmortem, classified according to the wooden breast condition, and then stored at either 4°C or -20°C prior to cooking and texture evaluation. Fillets were cooked to an endpoint temperature of 76°C and then evaluated by an 8-member trained sensory panel for springiness, cohesiveness, hardness, juiciness, cohesiveness of mass, bolus size, wetness of mass, fibrous texture, rate of breakdown, and chewiness. The fillets with the WB condition showed higher cook loss than those with NORM condition regardless of storage temperature. The mean value of shear force of WB fillets was lower than NORM fillets when cooked after 4°C storage. Sensory evaluation showed that WB fillets were higher in springiness and cohesiveness than NORM fillets and that the sensory attributes springiness, hardness and fibrousness were perceived differently between ventral and dorsal sections of cooked WB fillets. This work indicates that human perception of cooked WB meat has texture irregularities. The cooked breast meat with the WB condition is perceived with more springiness and cohesiveness than that with no WB condition.