ELECTRONIC NOSE ANALYSIS OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS FROM POULTRY MEAT SAMPLES, FRESH AND AFTER REFRIGERATED STORAGE

Authors: Boothe, Dorothy; Arnold, Judy

Submitted to: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/5/2001
Publication Date: 12/15/2001
Citation: BOOTHE, D.D., ARNOLD, J.W. ELECTRONIC NOSE ANALYSIS OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS FROM POULTRY MEAT SAMPLES, FRESH AND AFTER REFRIGERATED STORAGE. JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. 2001.

Interpretive Summary: An instrument known as the electronic nose, which functions in a manner similar to the human nose, has been used to determine the freshness of red meats, pork, and fish. The ability of this instrument to assess the quality of raw poultry meat stored at two temperatures for defined time periods was investigated herein. Four types of chicken meat(boneless breast with and without skin, wings, thighs) were stored for up to 2 days at 13C (the maximum allowable temperature in poultry processing plants) or up to 5 days at 4C (refrigeration temperature for raw poultry products prior to shipping or further processing). Saline rinses of meat samples were diluted in broth, and rinses and dilutions were analyzed on an electronic nose. Maps of the data confirmed that the electronic nose could differentiate gases associated with individual meat type samples stored for a comparable time at 4C or at 13C, even after 1 day of storage. Differences in gases from any single meat sample type stored at one temperature could also be determined with increased storage time. Better product quality at refrigeration temperature was indicated by data maps showing minimal changes in gases from meat samples stored at 4C compared to 13C. Because the electronic nose was able to differentiate gases in diluted rinses, the instrument may also be useful in assessing poultry meat quality of samples with small quantities of gases produced by microorganisms causing spoilage.

Technical Abstract: Because of the successful application of the electronic nose, or digital aroma technology, to the assessment of the quality of red meats, pork, and fish, the potential exists for applying this technology to poultry. The ability of the electronic nose to assess the quality of raw poultry meat as a function of storage time and temperature was investigated. Four types of chicken meat(boneless breast with and without skin, wings, thighs) were stored for up to 2 days at 13C (the maximum allowable temperature in poultry processing environments) or up to 5 days at 4C (refrigeration temperature for raw poultry products prior to shipping or further processing). Saline rinses of meat samples were serially di- luted in tryptic soy broth; rinses and their dilutions were analyzed on an electronic nose with 12 metal oxide sensors in order to determine the specificity and sensitivity, respectively, of the assay. Principal component analysis (PCA) maps of the data confirmed that the electronic nose could differentiate volatile compounds associated with individual meat type samples stored for a comparable time at 4C or at 13C, even after 1 day of storage. Differences in headspace gases from any single meat sample type stored at one temperature could also be determined with increased storage time. However, in PCA maps, data from samples stored at 4C clustered more tightly than those associated with samples stored at 13C, suggesting a greater diversity in volatile compounds at 13C. Because the electronic nose was able to differentiate volatile compounds in diluted rinses, the technology may be used to assess poultry meat quality from limited quantities of headspace gases or from samples with low concentrations of microbially produced volatile compounds.