Refrigeration and freeze-thaw effects on broiler fillets having extreme L* values

Eight hundred broiler males were grown to 56 d and processed under common terms while maintaining individual identity. Front halves were deboned 24 h postmortem (PM) to obtain breast fillets, and CIELAB light reflectance was immediately measured on the skin side of each fillet. Fillets were bagged and held at 4 degrees C for 24 h, and then 20 fillets exhibiting the darkest (47.3 to 57.5), lightest (71.1 to 76.4), and median (63.7 to 64.0) L* values were selected and trimmed to best define the pectoralis major. Remeasurement of light reflectance at 48 h PM revealed decreased L* values solely associated with fillets having the highest L* at 24 h. One-half of the fillets representing each category was frozen (4 d at -20 degrees C) and thawed (3 d at 4 degrees C). The L* value, after thawing, decreased from the 48 h PM value, which equivalently occurred in for all L* categories. Although 48 h PM fillets from each L* category were of similar weights, their lengths and widths increased with L* value. Exudate lost with thawing increased with L* value and paralleled decreases in length and width to equalize dimensions among sources.