Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Nutrient Data Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #197454

Title: NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY OF READY-TO-EAT ROTISSERIE CHICKEN PURCHASED FROM RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS

Author
item MUELLER, S - TEXAS TECH
item Howe, Juliette
item Holden, Joanne
item ALVARADO, C - TEXAS TECH
item BOYLAN, I - TEXAS TECH
item LUNA, A - TEXAS TECH
item WESTER, D - TEXAS TECH
item THOMPSON, L - TEXAS TECH

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/23/2006
Publication Date: 7/16/2006
Citation: Mueller, S., Howe, J.C., Holden, J.M., Alvarado, C., Boylan, I., Luna, A., Wester, D., Thompson, L. 2006. Nutrient composition of a nationally representative survey of ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken purchased from retail establishments. 95th Annual Meeting of the Poultry Science Association, July 16-19, 2006, Edmonton, Canada.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Nutrient data for chicken reported in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) was last updated in 1979 and does not contain values for whole, ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken. The objectives of this study were to update this database, compare current (2004) rotisserie chicken composition results to those given for roasted chicken in the SR, and to compare the composition of rotisserie chickens from four regions of the United States. Retail locations in 12 states, three in each of four regions, were chosen for original flavor rotisserie chicken procurement. Chickens were dissected into breast, thigh, drum, wing, back, and skin parts, combined into location, regional, and national composites for each part, and analyzed for nutrient content. Total fat content was 3.5% in breast meat and 37.1% in skin, and did not significantly differ from the total fat content of roasted chicken reported in 1979 (P > 0.05). Saturated fat content decreased in breast meat and skin from 1.01% and 11.42% to 0.84% and 9.99%, respectively. Polyunsaturated fat content was significantly higher in all parts than values reported in the SR. Cholesterol values were 88.9, 130.1, 140.6, and 159.9 mg/100 g for breast meat, thigh meat, skin, and drum meat, respectively, and were all significantly higher than values reported in the SR. Sodium and phosphorus contents of all parts were significantly higher than those reported in the SR. Sodium content ranged from 336 mg/100 g in thigh meat to 417 mg/100 g in drum meat, and phosphorus content ranged from 216 mg/100 g in thigh meat to 256 mg/100 g in drum meat. On average, the sodium and phosphorus contents of roasted chicken reported in SR are 86 mg/100g and 195 mg/100g, respectively. It is likely that these significant changes are due to the injection of chickens intended for rotisserie cooking with solutions containing sodium and phosphorus. This research indicates current rotisserie chicken is very different from roasted chicken in 1979.