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Title: SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS AND NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF BROILER BREAST MEAT FROM VARIOUS CHILL-STORAGE REGIMES

Author
item Lyon, Brenda
item Windham, William
item Lyon, Clyde
item Barton Ii, Franklin

Submitted to: Journal of Food Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/21/2000
Publication Date: 12/6/2001
Citation: LYON, B.G., WINDHAM, W.R., LYON, C.E., BARTON II, F.E. SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS AND NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF BROILER BREAST MEAT FROM VARIOUS CHILL-STORAGE REGIMES. JOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY. 2001. ISS. 24. PP. 435-452.

Interpretive Summary: The definition of "fresh" and "frozen" poultry has caused confusion because of reference to either the product's physical state (i.e., soft, hard) or quality state (i.e., good, inferior). We evaluated breast meat quality after storing at five temperatures (+4, 0, -3, -12, and -18 deg C) and three chill-store regimes that simulated processing, distribution by retailers, and final preparation by consumers. There were negligible differences in sensory texture and moisture characteristics among cooked samples. A procedure using visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra of stored raw skinless breasts could not distinguish between the individual temperature groups. However, a two-class model using spectra associated with myoglobin was 98.5% correct. Using the model, the +4, 0, and -3 deg C samples were labeled as unfrozen and the -12 and -18 deg C samples were labeled as frozen.

Technical Abstract: The terms "fresh" and "frozen" often refer to the physical state of the product (i.e., soft, hard) as well as quality state (i.e., good, inferior). This study addressed quality issues of breast meat subjected to chill-store regimes that simulate possible scenarios at points between processing, distribution by retailers, and final preparation by consumers. Five temperatures (+4, 0, -3, -12, and -18 deg C) at storage regimes (2 days, 7 days, and 7 days at the five temperatures followed by an additional 7 days at -18 deg C) were evaluated. The statistical differences in descriptive sensory texture and moisture characteristics among cooked samples could not be predominantly attributed to either temperature, storage, or temperature- storage treatments. Visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra of stored raw skinless breasts did not discriminate between individual temperature groups. However, a two-class model (98.5% correct classification) discriminated between unfrozen (+4, 0, and -3 deg C) and frozen (-12 and -18 deg C) samples, partially due to spectra of myoglobin and oxidative states.