Influence of Sodium Pentobarbital on pH, Sarcomere Length, and Muscle Tenderness of Broiler Pectoralis major Muscle

Abstract

Six trials were conducted to determine the effect of sodium pentobarbital (SP) anesthesia on broiler muscle pH, sarcomere length, and Allo-Kramer shear values. Birds were divided into six groups, three of which were anesthetized with SP prior to slaughter. Birds from both the anesthetized and nonanesthetized groups were subjected to one of three processing treatments: 1) muscles hot boned as soon as possible after death and immediately analyzed (HB/0); 2) muscles hot boned and aged 24 h in ice/water slush (HB/24); and 3) muscles left on carcass (conventional process) and aged 24 h in ice/water slush (CP/24) before deboning.The SP/HB/0 group was found to have significantly higher (P<.05) pH values and longer sarcomere lengths than those of the other five treatment groups. No significant differences were observed for pH among the four 24-h aged groups. Sarcomere lengths were found to be shortest in the SP/HB/24 and HB/24 groups followed by SP/CP/24, HB/0, and CP/24 groups. The CP/24 and SP/CP/24 groups had the lowest shear values, with the HB/0, HB/24, and SP/HB/24 groups exhibiting three-fold higher shear values. These results indicate that SP can delay the effects of ante-mortem stress on early rigor processes; however, no such effects were apparent following 24-h aging.