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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #140849
Title: MOISTURE RETENTION BY IMMERSION CHILLED CUT-UP BROILERS

Author
item Young, Louis
item Smith, Douglas

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/11/2002
Publication Date: 7/6/2003
Citation: Young, L.L., Smith, D.P. 2003. Moisture retention by immersion chilled cut-up broilers. [abstract] Poultry Science. 82(suppl.1):137.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to assess chiller water absorption and retention characteristics of broiler chickens through simulated processing, cutting and storage. Sixty-four broiler chickens were manually slaughtered using conventional techniques. Half the carcasses (controls) were chilled in air (4 C, 2.2 cubic meters per min), and half (treated) by tumbling in water (4 rpm, 1 C, 30 min). All carcasses were stored overnight and then manually cut into fore- and hindquarters. The quarters from each carcass were subsequently placed in a plastic bag and stored overnight under refrigeration (4 C). Moisture retention of each carcass was evaluated by weight after initial chilling, after overnight storage, immediately after quartering and after overnight refrigerated storage of the quarters. Moisture loss during post-cutting storage by each quarter was assessed by similarly. Weights of the control carcasses were unaffected by chilling, whereas treated carcasses absorbed 11.7% chiller water. Overnight storage of the intact carcasses resulted in a 0.7% (±0.01) weight loss by control carcasses and a 7.0% (±0.41) loss by treated carcasses. Weights of control carcasses did not change significantly (P < 0.05) during intact storage or cutting averaging 0.6%, (±0.01), but treated carcasses lost 40.3% (±0.23) of the absorbed moisture during overnight storage and 8.4% (±0.29) during cutting. Quarters from control carcasses lost 0.01% (±0.002) as purge, but treated carcasses lost 18.0% (±0.26) of the absorbed moisture during overnight post-cutting storage. Forequarter loss during storage was 13.2% (±0.16) compared to 19.4% (±0.19) for the hindquarters. Overall added water content of the quarters from water-chilled carcasses was 3.9% (±0.26). Under the conditions of this study, the water-chilled parts clearly retained part of the chiller water. This information may be useful as baseline data for developing process monitoring and control methodologies.