Effect of Chilling in the Presence of Polyphosphates on the Characteristics of Mechanically Deboned Fowl Meat

Abstract

Spent fowl were processed using a subscald temperature. Treatments utilized included normal ice-slush chilling and 6 percent polyphosphate (mixture of sodium polyphosphates supplied by Merck and Company under the trademark of Kena) ice slush chilling overnight. After chilling, the carcasses were immediately deboned through a Beehive model BX-66 mechanical deboner. Emulsification capacity, emulsification stability and pH were determined. TBA values of the raw meat were measured after 0, 4 and 8 weeks of frozen storage at −29°C.Polyphosphate treatment significantly increased emulsification stability as measured by fat and gel-water release. Emulsification capacity of the meat from polyphosphate-treated birds was significantly higher than that observed from the untreated controls.TBA values of mechanically deboned meat from the untreated controls increased significantly during the 8 week storage period. Polyphosphate treated mechanically deboned meat was observed to have significantly lower TBA values than that found from the controls at all storage periods. Polyphosphate treatment prior to mechanically deboning protects the product against oxidative changes during the deboning cycle and during subsequent frozen storage.