Impact of Refrigerated Storage Time on Woody Broiler Breast Severity and Instrumental Quality

Abstract

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.

Water properties in intact wooden breast fillets during refrigerated storage

“…The redness of the WB fillets increased much slower compared with the normal fillets. Similarly, Byron et al (2020) showed that the lightness of WB fillets decreased but the redness increased over 5 d storage. da Rocha et al (2022) found that the WB condition affected to the changing pattern in fillet color compared with the normal condition after storage.…”

“…Chicken fillets are sold in refrigerated or frozen forms, and refrigerated chicken fillets undergo more physiological changes during storage ( Tasoniero et al, 2022 ). Studies have also shown that WB altered not only WHC in fresh meat, but also affected changes in WHC during refrigerated storage ( Byron et al, 2020 ; Sun et al, 2022 ). Byron et al (2020) demonstrated that storage time significantly impacted cook loss of the normal meat over 5 d refrigerated storage; however, there were no differences in cook loss of the fillets with either moderate or severe WB condition.…”

“…Studies have also shown that WB altered not only WHC in fresh meat, but also affected changes in WHC during refrigerated storage ( Byron et al, 2020 ; Sun et al, 2022 ). Byron et al (2020) demonstrated that storage time significantly impacted cook loss of the normal meat over 5 d refrigerated storage; however, there were no differences in cook loss of the fillets with either moderate or severe WB condition. Wooden breast resulted in significantly increased purge loss on the first 2 d of storage; however, there were no differences in purge loss between normal and WB meat after that.…”

Effects of Modified Atmospheric Packaging on Ground Chicken Color and Lipid Oxidation

“…However, no difference (P > 0.05) in pH was observed between HiOx-MAP and CO-MAP samples. The pH of the ground chicken ranged from 5.97 to 6.06, which is characteristic of normal poultry meat (Saucier et al, 2000;Byron et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2021). Lower pH in HiOx-MAP and CO-MAP samples might be due to the dissolution of CO 2 into the aqueous phase of meat, resulting in carbonic acid and associated pH reduction (Fernández-López et al, 2008).…”

Early Postmortem Proteome Changes in Normal and Woody Broiler Breast Muscles

“…The WB exhibited a higher compression force than normal breast, and a tenderization process was observed in the WB during the first 3 days of storage, as measured by the compression force . Byron et al also observed a tenderization process by manual palpation during 5 days of cold storage. However, shear force values of the cooked WB did not decrease over the storage period, indicating that the eating quality of WB was not improved.…”