Moisture retention by water- and air-chilled chicken broilers during processing and cutup operations

Area of Science:

• Poultry Science
• Food Science
• Meat Science

Background:

• Broiler chicken processing involves chilling and cutting, which can affect meat quality and moisture content.
• Understanding moisture retention is crucial for meeting new USDA processing standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of air chilling versus water chilling on moisture retention in broiler chickens.
• To assess how storage and cutting influence moisture levels in broiler carcasses.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-four broiler chickens were processed, subjected to either air chilling (4°C, 2.2 m³/min) or water chilling (1°C, mechanical agitation).
• Carcasses were stored overnight, cut into portions, and stored for an additional 24 hours.
• Moisture changes were quantified by monitoring weight fluctuations throughout the entire process.

Main Results:

• Air-chilled carcasses showed an average post-slaughter weight loss of 0.68% with no further significant changes after cutting.
• Water-chilled carcasses absorbed 11.7% moisture during chilling and retained 6.98% before cutting, 6.00% during cutting, and 3.90% after cutting.

Conclusions:

• Air chilling minimizes moisture absorption and loss in broiler chickens during processing and storage.
• Water chilling leads to significant moisture uptake, with gradual loss throughout subsequent processing steps.
• The study provides essential baseline data for adherence to updated USDA processing regulations regarding moisture content.