Hydrodynamic shockwave tenderization effects using a cylinder processor on early deboned broiler breasts

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Meat tenderness is a critical quality attribute influencing consumer acceptance.
• Hydrodynamic shockwaves (HSW) offer a novel physical method for meat processing.
• Understanding the impact of HSW timing on meat tenderness is crucial for optimizing its application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of high pressure hydrodynamic shockwaves (HSW) applied at different postmortem times on chicken broiler breast tenderness.
• To determine the impact of HSW treatment on cooking losses and color characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Chicken broiler breasts were deboned at various postmortem times (45 min, 52 min).
• HSW treatment was applied either 25 min after deboning (77 min postmortem) or after 24 hours of refrigerated storage.
• Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force, cooking losses, and CIE L*a*b* color values were measured.

Main Results:

• HSW treatment at 77 min postmortem did not significantly alter WBS values compared to controls.
• HSW treatment applied after 24 hours of storage significantly decreased WBS values by 42.0% (P<0.05).
• Cooking losses and color characteristics (raw and cooked) were not significantly affected by HSW treatment.

Conclusions:

• Applying HSW treatment after postmortem aging (24h storage) effectively improves chicken breast tenderness.
• Early HSW application (77 min postmortem) may require adjustments in pressure or timing to enhance tenderness.
• HSW technology presents a promising avenue for improving meat quality without negatively impacting cooking properties or color.