The Incidence Of Pale, Soft And Exudative Broiler Breast Meat And The Effect Of Injection Marination On The Improvement Of Its Meat Quality

PSE-like meat regards to meat defects such as paler color, lower water-holding capacity, softer texture and poorer processing properties. According to domestic statistics, the poultry industry lost at least $25 million every year due to PSE-like chicken meat problem. Thus PSE-like chicken meat problem have gained experts and scholars'attention. At present, L* value has been used to estimate breast meat color variation and the prevalence of PSE-like meat condition in poultry. However, L* value is easily affected by various factors. Thus there were differences between recent studies'results. It is diffult to make sure that which result is suit for domestic special situation. In terms of the method of coping with PSE-like meat problem, a new method had been studied to improve PSE-like meat quality in the past decade. It was named postmortem injection of marinades. However, there were some controversies in the previous study results. It is necessary to further study in this field. The present study is to establish a criterion to distinguish PSE-like meat from normal ones, and to estimate characteristics of PSE-like meat produced in a domestic commercial processing plant and to determine the effect of injecting tripolyphosphate and bicarbonate marinade solutions on the PSE-like meat and normal meat quality. The results may be useful for the data and technology support to cope with PSE-like meat problem.1 established a criterion to distinguish PSE-like meat from normal ones and estimated characteristics of PSE-like meat produced in a domestic commercial processing plant in summer.Characteristics of PSE-like meat were monitored in 197 birds randomly obtained from the processing line. On the slaughter line, the pH value and temperature were measured on chicken chest muscles at about 15 min post mortem. The measured birds were marked and undergone the conventional fast cooling for 1.5 h, the pectoralis muscles were deboned and stored at 4 ?. The measurements of color, pH value, water-holding capacity including cooking loss, expressible moisture, drip loss and thawing loss, protein solubility were conducted at 3 h postmortem and at 24 h postmortem.As expected, pearson's correlation coefficients depicted a significant relationship between L* value, pH24h and water-holding capacity (WHC). pH15 min had no relationship with L* value and WHC. Furthermore L*24h and L*3h seemed to have more predictive value for the larger coefficients. Base on ANOVA analysis and cluster analysis, L*24h?55 and L*3 h?53 were chosen as criteria. According to L*24 h?55, the characteristics of PSE-like meat were L*24 h?55, pH24 h<5.73, cook loss?18.74%, expressible moisture>27.42%, thaw loss?11.42%, drip loss>2.15%. According to L*24h?53, the characteristics of PSE-like meat was pH3 h<6.06, the characteristics of PSE-like meat at 24 h postmortem were L*24 h? 55, pH24 h<5.73, cook loss?19.08%, expressible moisture>26.76%, thaw loss>11.69%, drip loss>2.20%. In order to evaluate the occurrence of PSE-like meat, another 735 breasts were selected and then L* value and pH value were measured at 3 h postmortem and at 24 h postmortem respectively. Using the L*24h?55 as an indicator of paleness, approximately 20% of the 935 fillets would exhibit decreased water-holding capacity and lower pH value. Based on L*3 h?53, the incidence of PSE-like meat was about 16%.2 determined the effect of injecting tripolyphosphate and bicarbonate marinade solutions on the PSE-like meat and normal meat quality.At about 15 min postmortem, paired breasts were removed from the carcasses and one side of each pair was immediately injected with 10%(wt/wt) of 3% sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP),3% sodium bicarbonate (SBC),3% sodium tripolyphosphate+3% sodium bicarbonate solutions (STPP+SBC) and all containing 2% salt solution. The other side was injected with 2% salt solution (control). All the samples were equilibrated at 4? for 24 h. CIE colour values and pH value were measured at 3 h postmortem and 24 h postmortem. Water-holding capacity, protein solubility and lactic acid content were evaluated at 24 h postmortem. Based on L*24h?55,35 pairs PSE broiler breasts and another 30 pairs normal broiler breasts were selected by evaluating L*24h of the controlled breasts.Present study results indicated that marination increased WHC and pH value of PSE-like meat. Higher L*24 h value, cook loss, thaw loss, expressible moisture of PSE-like meat were reduced to normal level. Marinating had no negative influence on normal meat quality. SBC and STPP+SBC marinades containing sodium bicarbonate had same effect on remediation of PSE-like meat quality and their influence is stronger than that of STPP. These results showed marinating can be used to improve PSE-like meat quality. In consideration of low sodium diet, SBC was recommended as the better choice.