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Wooden breast (WB) is a Pectoralis major muscle myopathy in broilers that negatively impacts breast meat quality. The objective of this research was to evaluate quality differences between normal (NOR), moderately woody (MOD), and severely woody (SEV) broiler breast that were marinated with water (control); water, sodium phosphate, and salt (traditional); or water, potassium carbonate, and salt (clean label). Treatments were vacuum tumbled for 30 min and then frozen in a CO2 cabinet. A 3 × 3 factorial structure within a randomized complete block design with 3 replications was used to evaluate the effects of marinade (control, traditional, clean label) and WB severity (NOR, MOD, SEV) on tumble and cook loss, shear force, and texture profile analysis. For sensory analysis, a 2 × 3 factorial structure was used because the control was not evaluated. When averaged over WB severity, clean label marinade had less tumble loss (P < 0.05) than traditional. When averaged over marinade, NOR had less tumble loss (P < 0.05) than MOD and SEV. Marinated SEV were crunchier and less tender (P < 0.05) than MOD and NOR, and MOD was less tender (P < 0.05) than NOR. Similarly, the clean SEV was chewier (P < 0.05) than MOD and NOR, but traditional SEV was only chewier (P < 0.05) than NOR. Clean and traditional SEV were less acceptable (P < 0.05) than MOD and traditional NOR, but no difference (P > 0.05) existed in acceptability between MOD and NOR for both marinades. In addition, when averaging over WB severity, the traditional marinade was preferred (P < 0.05) over the clean label marinade. Although the clean marinade samples were tender, the clean label formulation was not interchangeable with the traditional marinade when SEV was marinated. The use of salt and sodium phosphate or potassium carbonate improved the eating quality of MOD and SEV WB. However, differences remain between NOR and SEV in tenderness, gumminess, and crunchiness that negatively impact consumer acceptability.

Chicken breast samples (N = 90; n = 30 normal [NOR]; n = 30 moderate [MOD] woody breast [WB]; n = 30 severe [SEV] WB) were collected from a commercial processing plant on 5 separate occasions and were evaluated for severity from d 0 through d 5. A 3 × 6 two-way factorial structure (meat quality treatment × storage time) with 5 replications within a randomized complete block design (replications as blocks) with subsamples was utilized to evaluate the effects of treatment (NOR, MOD, SEV) and storage time (d 0 through 5) on pH, color, cook loss, shear force, and proximate analysis (d 0 and 5). After 5 d of storage at 2°C to 4°C, 84% of SEV WB fillets were evaluated as MOD WB, which was greater (P < 0.05) than all other storage times. In comparison, 40% to 52% of the MOD WB fillets were rated as slight WB or NOR after 3 to 5 d of storage. Cook loss was less (P < 0.05) for NOR compared to MOD and SEV breast meat at all storage times. Shear force was greater (P < 0.05) for NOR breast meat than MOD and SEV WB meat on d 0. After 2, 3, 4, and 5 d of storage, the upper position (cranial part) of SEV WB had greater (P < 0.05) shear force than NOR fillets. Therefore, the lessening of severity that occurred in WB meat over refrigerated storage was apparent through palpation but did not result in improved texture in the cranial portion of the breast, based on shear force and water-holding capacity results. These results are important because they indicate that, even though muscle softening occurred over refrigerated storage time, meat quality did not improve.

Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) is controlled in the U.S. dry cured ham industry with methyl bromide (MB) fumigation. However, MB fumigation is being phased out of use since it is an ozone depleting substance. The objective of this research was to evaluate ham nets that were infused with lard, propylene glycol (PG) and polysaccharide coating for their efficacy at controlling mite infestations on dry cured ham cubes from hams that were aged for 4 to 6 mo. Results indicated that fewer T. putrescentiae (P < 0.05) were on ham cubes with treated nets containing PG when compared to the number of mites on ham cubes with untreated nets over 10 wk of storage. Lard infused nets without PG did not decrease the mite population (P > 0.05). The net without coating slowed the growth and reproduction of T. putrescentiae since net controls had fewer mites (P < 0.05) than controls without nets. Fungi were not present on ham cubes that were treated with PG-containing nets over 10 wk of storage with a few exceptions. In conclusion, lard and xanthan gum, or carrageenan + propylene glycol alginate treated nets containing the medium concentration of PG effectively inhibited mite reproduction and fungal growth on dry cured ham and could potentially be used in an integrated pest management program to control mites on dry cured hams.

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