Assessment of Physicochemical Characteristics and Microbiological Quality in Broiler Chicken Breast Muscle (Pectoralis major) Subjected to Different Temperatures and Lengths of Cold Transportation.

Muhammad Nizam Hayat,Awis Qurni Sazili,Ubedullah Kaka

doi:10.3390/foods10040874

Muhammad Nizam Hayat, Awis Qurni Sazili + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10040874

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Journal: Foods (Basel, Switzerland)	Publication Date: Apr 16, 2021
Citations: 9	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Abstract

Cold truck transportation is considered one of the most integral parts in a food processing chain. However, countless cases of product spoilage and food poisoning incidents have proven that temperature control during transport has been neglected. Literature on the impact of temperature during distribution is scarce. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of various transportation temperatures and travel duration on the meat quality and microbial population of broiler chicken breast muscle. Sixty broiler chickens (42 days old) were slaughtered and eviscerated; they then had their breast muscles removed (each bird provided two breast muscle samples: left breast and right breast), which were wrapped in plastic film. All 120 packed boneless breasts (PBBs) were then placed at −18 °C for 24 h. After 24 h, the 60 PBB samples were subjected to transportation for 1 h at 4 °C (20 PBBs), 10 °C (20 PBBs), and 15 °C (20 PBBs) while the remaining 60 samples were transported for 5 h at 4 °C (20 PBBs), 10 °C (20 PBBs), and 15 °C (20 PBBs) before analyses. The samples transported at higher temperatures exhibited higher populations of coliform and Salmonella than those transported at lower temperatures. A significant impact of the transportation duration on the Salmonella population was only observed in samples transported at 4 °C for 5 h. However, a significant impact of transportation temperature on color was only recorded for the redness (a*) values, where the samples transported at higher temperatures exhibited higher redness (a*) values. Significant increases in lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values as well as decreases in redness (a*) and pH values were recorded in samples subjected to longer durations of transportation across all the temperatures observed in this study.

Highlights

Cold truck transportation plays a pivotal role in a food processing chain and in determining the final meat quality before the meat reaches the consumers
The results from this study revealed no significant impact of transportation temperature or duration on the water-holding capacity of the meat samples, except for the drip loss percentage in meat samples transported at 10 ◦C
The results revealed that transportation duration had a significant effect on coliform and Salmonella population only for meat transported at 4 ◦C

Summary

Introduction

Cold truck transportation plays a pivotal role in a food processing chain and in determining the final meat quality before the meat reaches the consumers. Investigating cold transportation is a continuing concern within the meat industry. A longer delivery distance leads to greater concerns among consumers regarding meat quality and food safety, which may be compromised along the supply chain. HACCP is a systematic approach to control any chemical, physical, or microbiological hazards that may arise in a food-processing facility or food supply chain. This system provides guidelines for the systematic management of meat products, including raw material selection and control of conditions during processing and distribution

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