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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 #370202
Research Project: Assessment and Improvement of Poultry Meat, Egg, and Feed Quality

Location: Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit

Title: Biochemical and physicochemical changes in Spaghetti Meat chicken breast during refrigerated storage

Author
item TASONIERO, GIULIA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Zhuang, Hong
item Bowker, Brian

Submitted to: International Poultry Scientific Forum
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/27/2019
Publication Date: 1/27/2020
Citation: Tasoniero, G., Zhuang, H., Bowker, B.C. 2020. Biochemical and physicochemical changes in Spaghetti Meat chicken breast during refrigerated storage. International Poultry Scientific Forum. Poultry Science, 99(E-Suppl.1):8. (abstract M21).

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The aim of the study was to provide insight on the postmortem evolution of Spaghetti Meat (SM), as no data are currently available on the effect of SM on the proteolytic processes occurring during meat aging and their impact on myowater. During two trials, 30 severe SM and 30 unaffected (N) fillets were subjected to 7 days of refrigerated storage. At days 0, 3 and 7, NMR traits (T2B, T21, T22, P2B, P21, P22), myofibrillar proteins profiles, calpain activity, and free calcium concentration were assessed on 5 different breasts per group. A two-way ANOVA was carried out considering group (G: N and SM), time (T: 0, 3, 7) and their interaction G × T as fixed effects and trial as a random effect. In SM fillets, the intramyofibrillar water population exhibited longer relaxation times (T21; N = 45.9 vs SM = 46.9 ms; P = 0.0172) and a lower proportion compared to N (P21; N = 83.8 vs SM = 80.7%; P = 0.0118). Concurrently, SM was characterized by a greater proportion of extramyofibrillar water (P21; N = 15.5 vs SM = 18.8%; P = 0.0080) possessing a longer relaxation time (T22; N = 180 vs SM = 200 ms; P = 0.0001). Overall, the SM myopathy had only a minor impact on the myofibrillar proteins profiles and did not exert significant effects on free calcium concentration or the proportions of µ/m native and autolyzed calpain. Postmortem storage time exerted a strong effect on the measured traits. An increasing trend of the P21 water compartment (P = 0.0006) coupled with a decrease of P22 (P = 0.0005) revealed that a redistribution of myowater occurred over time in both N and SM fillets. Changes in NMR traits reflected the proteolytic processes taking place during meat aging. As the concentration of free calcium increased from day 0 to 7 (P = 0.0392), casein zymograms indicated a progressive decrease in native µ/m calpain activity concomitant with the accumulation of its autolyzed form (P = 0.0031). The electrophoretic profiles of myofibrillar proteins from both N and SM fillets exhibited a similar progression of protein degradation with postmortem storage time. Overall, the lack of significant interaction effects between muscle condition and storage period suggested that SM and N breast meat experience similar proteolytic and physical changes during the postmortem period.