Research developments in pale, soft, and exudative turkey meat in North America

Colour, pH and weight changes of PSE, normal and DFD breast fillets from British broilers treated with a phosphate-free, low salt marinade

1. Colour (L*, a*, b*), pH and weight changes during tumbling, overnight holding and cooking were measured in pale, soft and exudative (PSE, L* > 58); normal; and dark, firm and dry (DFD, L* < 52) broiler breast fillets (n = 180) subject to tumbling in a low salt (4%), phosphate-free marinade at three target addition levels: 0, 10 and 20%. 2. The mean L* values for PSE, normal and DFD fillets were 60·1, 56·0 and 51·7 respectively, with corresponding mean pH values of 5·73, 5·85 and 6·07. 3. There were no significant differences in marinade uptake during tumbling for the three groups of fillets. Losses during overnight holding were highest for the PSE fillets, but losses for all three colour groups were relatively small (<2%). 4. Cooking losses for fillets of normal colour were 19·7, 24·1 and 26·2% at 0, 10 and 20% addition levels respectively, with corresponding yields of 80·3, 82·8 and 84·8%. 5. PSE fillets had higher cooking losses and lower yields than normal fillets (and DFD fillets had lower cooking losses and higher yields than normal fillets) but the differences were small and not always significant (P < 0·05). 6. There was a strong negative correlation between pH and L* (r = -0·82) in the raw fillets, but weaker correlations of yield with L* (r = -0·53) and pH (r = 0·38) in the cooked fillets.

Muscle growth and poultry meat quality issues

Over the past 50 years the worldwide growing demand of poultry meat has resulted in pressure on breeders, nutritionists and growers to increase the growth rate of birds, feed efficiency, size of breast muscle and reduction in abdominal fatness. Moreover, the shift toward further processed products has emphasized the necessity for higher standards in poultry meat to improve sensory characteristics and functional properties. It is believed that genetic progress has put more stress on the growing bird and it has resulted in histological and biochemical modifications of the muscle tissue by impairing some meat quality traits. The most current poultry meat quality concerns are associated with deep pectoral muscle disease and white striping which impair product appearance, and increased occurrence of problems related with the meat’s poor ability to hold water during processing and storage (PSE-like condition) as well as poor toughness and cohesiveness related to immaturity of intramuscular connective tissue. This paper is aimed at making a general statement of recent studies focusing on the relationship between muscle growth and meat quality issues in poultry.