Muscle fiber and fresh meat characteristics of white-striping chicken breasts, and its effects on palatability of sous-vide cooked meat

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to compare the histochemical and meat quality characteristics between the normal and white-striping (WS) pectoralis major muscles. Additionally, this study investigated the effects of oven cooking (OV) and sous-vide (SV) cooking methods on objective texture parameters and sensory quality characteristics of the normal and WS chicken breast meats. Results showed that the WS condition broilers had higher body and breast weights (P 0.05). After cooking, there was greater cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force, and texture parameter analysis-hardness values for breast fillets cooked by OV treatment at 180°C for reached core temperature to 71°C compared to the fillets cooked by SV treatment at 60°C for 2 h (P 0.05). Regarding sensory quality characteristics, WS breast fillets cooked by SV (SV+WS) were rated as tenderer and juicier, and given a higher overall acceptability score compared to normal and WS fillets cooked by OV (P < 0.05). However, owing to a lesser developed flavor in SV+WS fillets, the panelists assigned a lower overall acceptability rating in these fillets compared to SV+Normal fillets (P < 0.05). Overall, the SV cooking can be an effective method for improving the sensory quality characteristics of WS and normal chicken breast.

Keywords

• white-striping chicken
• sous-vide
• muscle fiber
• meat quality
• sensory quality