The effects of electrical stunning voltage on meat quality, plasma parameters, and protein solubility of broiler breast meat.
This study was designed to compare the effects of different stunning voltages of pulsed direct current on meat quality of broilers. For this purpose, plasma parameters, blood loss, carcass damage, and meat water holding capacity, color, shear force, pH, and protein solubility were analyzed. A total of 400 broilers were divided into 5 treatment groups and stunned with 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 V at 750 Hz and 10 s, respectively. Blood samples were collected immediately after cutting the neck. Pectoralis major muscles were removed from the carcass after chilling and placed on ice. Breast muscle pH and meat color were determined at both 2 and 24 h postmortem. Dripping loss, cooking loss, pressing loss, and cooked breast meat shear values were determined after 24 h postmortem. The 5 V treatment significantly increased (P < 0.05) blood plasma corticosterone and lactate concentration compared with the other groups. The carcass damage of wings, Pectoralis major, and Pectoralis minor was significant in the 5, 35, and 45 V groups. The pH of 2 h postmortem in the 5 and 45 V groups was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in the 15 and 25 V groups. In the 5 and 45 V groups, the protein solubility and shear force value were significantly lower (P < 0.05) and dripping loss was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the other groups.
College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
J C
JC
Huang
Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
J
J
Yang
Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
M
M
Huang
College of Engineering, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
K J
KJ
Chen
Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
X L
XL
Xu
Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
G H
GH
Zhou
D000003:Abattoirs; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards*; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000737:chemistry*; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012995:Solubility
D030161:Avian Proteins
broiler; carcass damage; electrical stunning; meat quality; protein solubility