Effects of Eviscerating Line Trimming on Tenderness of Broiler Breast Meat

Abstract

Seven-week-old broiler carcasses were subjected to various cutting and trimming techniques to study the effect of muscle incision, cut skin and wing removal on tenderness of breast meat. Treatments were performed immediately after evisceration to be comparable with trimming occurring in processing plants on the eviscerating line. After aging in ice slush, breasts were halved and boiled in water or deep-fat fried for shear press and panel evaluations, respectively.Cutting the breast muscle and removal of a wing at the shoulder joint significantly increased shear values on treated muscles. Cut skin and removal of a wing at the joint distal to the shoulder did not significantly affect shear values. A panel rated breasts with a wing removed at the shoulder significantly less tender than untreated halves. The panel was unable to detect a difference in tenderness due to other treatments. There were significant differences among shear values from different areas of cut muscle. Shear values were highest near the wing and lowest near the sternum when a wing was removed at the shoulder joint.