Pale poultry muscle syndrome

Area of Science:

• Meat Science
• Poultry Science
• Animal Science

Background:

• Pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) muscle defects were first identified in swine.
• Similar pale muscle conditions have been observed in turkey and broiler chicken breast meat.
• These pale avian muscles can exhibit reduced water-holding capacity and increased drip loss, similar to PSE pork.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the appropriateness of using the term PSE for pale avian muscle.
• To highlight the differences between PSE in swine and pale muscle in poultry.
• To propose alternative terminology for describing pale avian breast muscle.

Main Methods:

• Literature review comparing PSE in swine with pale muscle conditions in poultry.
• Analysis of research methodologies, including the reliance on muscle color for identification.
• Comparison of genetic bases and screening methods for PSE-susceptible animals.

Main Results:

• Porcine PSE is generally a more severe defect than the analogous condition in poultry.
• The genetic underpinnings of PSE differ between swine and avian species.
• The halothane screening test effective for swine is not applicable to poultry.
• Muscle color is an inconsistent indicator for pale avian muscle due to multiple influencing factors.

Conclusions:

• The continued use of the PSE term for pale poultry meat may be misleading.
• The underlying causes and characteristics of pale muscle in poultry differ from swine.
• Recommended alternative terms include 'pale chicken muscle' or 'pale poultry muscle syndrome'.