Precooking and Flake Size Effects on Spent Fowl Restructured Steaks.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Science
• Poultry Processing

Background:

• Restructured meat products offer a way to utilize spent fowl muscle.
• Understanding processing variables like meat form (raw vs. precooked) and particle size is crucial for product quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of raw vs. precooked spent fowl muscle and flake size on the quality attributes of restructured chicken steaks.
• To determine optimal processing conditions for desirable sensory and physical properties.

Main Methods:

• Four formulations of spent fowl muscle (raw/precooked, large/small flake size) were prepared.
• Meat was mixed with NaCl, sodium tripolyphosphate, and hydrolyzed vegetable protein, pressed, frozen, and cut into steaks.
• Steaks were analyzed for moisture, fat, cooking losses, texture, and sensory attributes.

Main Results:

• Precooked chicken steaks retained more moisture during cooking than raw chicken steaks.
• Smaller flake sizes resulted in more tender restructured steaks.
• Steaks made from raw meat flakes exhibited significantly better texture, palatability, tenderness, and juiciness.
• Raw meat steaks were also found to have a more acceptable flavor.

Conclusions:

• Restructured chicken steaks produced from raw meat flakes are superior in overall quality, including texture, juiciness, and palatability.
• While precooking reduces cooking moisture loss, it negatively impacts sensory attributes.
• Optimizing flake size can enhance tenderness, but using raw meat is key for desirable flavor and texture in restructured fowl products.