Quality parameters of chicken breast meat affected by carcass scalding conditions.

Objective: The influence of broiler carcass scalding conditions on chicken breast meat quality parameters was investigated.

Methods: Two hundred and seventy Cobb broiler chickens from 42 to 48 days old were slaughtered according to the standard industry practice and scalded in five temperature/time combinations-T1, 54°C/210 s; T2, 55°C/180 s; T3, 56°C/150 s; T4, 57°C/120 s; T5, 58°C/90 s.

Results: Scalding temperature increase resulted in higher values of external and ventral lightness and in protein functionality reduction-determined by emulsification capacity and protein denaturation-in chicken breast fillets 24 h post-mortem.

Physicochemical and biochemical parameters of chicken breast meat influenced by stunning methods.

The influence of stunning methods on the physicochemical and biochemical parameters of chicken breast meat, as indicators of bird stress, was investigated. A total of 200 Cobb broiler chickens aged from 42 to 48 d were submitted to gas or electrical stunning and slaughtered according to the standard industry practice. Pectoralis major muscles (24 h post-mortem) from broilers stunned by electronarcosis exhibited a higher L* and R-value and lower pH45min than did those from gas stunning, indicating modification of the glycolytic rate.