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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #265940
Title: Postmortem aging can significantly enhance water-holding capacity of broiler pectoralis major muscle measured by the salt-induced swelling/centrifuge method

Author
item Zhuang, Hong
item SAVAGE, ELIZABETH - Retired ARS Employee

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2011
Publication Date: 7/1/2011
Citation: Zhuang, H., Savage, E. 2011. Postmortem aging can significantly enhance water-holding capacity of broiler pectoralis major muscle measured by the salt-induced swelling/centrifuge method [abstract]. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Water-holding capacity (WHC) is one of the most important functional properties of fresh meat and can be significantly affected by postmortem muscle changes. Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of postmortem aging on WHC of broiler pectoralis (p.) major muscle indicated with % salt-induced water gain (swelling/centrifugation method). The first experiment was to determine the effect of postmortem aging on WHC of broiler p. major with different color lightness. The p major muscle was deboned 6-8 h postmortem and categorized based on CIELAB L* value. The muscle WHC was measured either after deboning or after being aged at refrigerated temperature for 24 h. Regardless of muscle color lightness, the salt-induced water gain by broiler p. major aged 24 h post-deboning was at least 50% higher than the samples without post-deboning aging, indicating that post-deboning aging could enhance WHC of broiler breast meat. The second experiment was to determine effects of deboning time and post-deboning aging time on the WHC. The p. major muscle was deboned at either 2 h or 24 h postmortem, and the 2-h deboned p. major was aged for either 22 h or 7 d at refrigerated temperature before WHC were measured. Regardless of aging methods (on or off the carcass) and aging time (22 h or 7 d), the salt-induced water gain by the aged p. major was more than 80% higher than that by the 2-h deboned samples. There was no difference in the WHC between the muscle deboned 24-h postmortem and the muscle deboned 2 h and aged 22 h post-deboning. There was no difference between the 22-h post-deboning aging and 7-d post-deboning aging. These results suggest that the first 24 h postmortem aging after slaughtering could enhance WHC of broiler p. major muscle.