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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 #279422
Title: Impact of carcass scalding and chilling methods on the functionality of early-deboned broiler breast fillets

Author
item Zhuang, Hong
item Bowker, Brian
item Buhr, Richard - Jeff
item Bourassa, Dianna
item KIEPPER, BRIAN - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/2/2012
Publication Date: 7/9/2012
Citation: Zhuang, H., Bowker, B.C., Buhr, R.J., Bourassa, D.V., Kiepper, B.H. 2012. Impact of carcass scalding and chilling methods on the functionality of early-deboned broiler breast fillets [abstract]. Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract. 91(Suppl. 1)70 p.25-26.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The impact of scalding and chilling methods on the functionality of broiler breast fillets (pectoralis major) was evaluated. In three replications, 5 to 7 wk old male broilers were slaughtered and scalded either at 60ºC for 1.5 min (hard scalding) or 52.8ºC for 3 min (soft scalding). Following evisceration, the carcasses were either air-chilled (0.5ºC, 120 min, 86-90% RH, air speed 76.2 m/min) or immersion-chilled in water and ice (79 L/carcass, 0.5ºC, 40 min, air agitated volume 3.89 M3/min). Breast fillets were removed from the carcass within 4 h postmortem. Boneless skinless fillet functionality color (lateral surface or skin side), pH, total moisture content, water-holding capacity (drip loss and cook yield), and Warner-Bratzler shear force were evaluated. No significant differences (p>0.1) between the two scalding methods were observed for color, pH, moisture content, drip loss, and cook yield. However, the shear force (7.44 kgf) for hard-scalded fillets was higher (p=0.06) than for soft-scalded fillets (6.67 kfg). These results suggest that even though hard and soft scalded fillets have the same surface appearance and water-holding capacity, scalding method may impact the texture of the early-deboned fillets. Immersion-chilled fillets had higher (p<0.05) L* (59.3 vs. 56.7), pH (6.28 vs. 6.12), drip loss (2.1% vs. 1.7%), and shear force (7.65 kgf vs. 6.46 kgf), and lower (p<0.05) cook yield (81.0% vs. 82.6%) and b* (7.46 vs. 8.51) than air-chilled fillets. These results suggest that immersion-chilled fillets are lighter and less yellow, lose more water during storage (higher drip loss) and cooking (lower cook yield), and require higher force to shear than air-chilled fillets. There were no interactions (p>0.1) between chilling and scalding methods for any of the measurements, suggesting that the effects of scalding and chilling methods on fillet functionality are independent. The results of this experiment indicate that chilling methods have a greater impact on breast fillet functionality (color, pH, water-holding capacity, and shear) than scalding methods.