Microbial counts and eating quality of breast broilers meat subjected to different freezing and refreezing storage periods

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the effect of the frozen and refrozen storage durations on the sensory and microbial quality of broiler chickens’ meat. A total of 40 breast muscle of broilers meat were dividing into two treatments (freezing and refreezing treatments). The meat in the first treatment was subdivided into three equal parts and subjected into 0 (without freezing), 1-, 2- and 3-months freezing storage periods while the meat samples in the second treatment was subjected into 1, 2 and 3 months freezing then thawing overnight at 4°C and refreezing for 1, 2, and 3 months before evaluation microbial count and sensory quality of meat. Results showed that refreezing storage duration had affected undesirably on flavor, juiciness, and tenderness significantly (P≤ 0.05) at (2 and 3), (1 and 3) and 3 months of refrozen storage respectively, whereas the data of overall acceptability were significantly (P≤ 0.05) reduced when the duration of frozen and refrozen at (1, 2 and 3) months storage increased compared to fresh samples (without freezing). The data of microbial counts were significantly (P ≤0.05) increased with prolonging the duration of frozen and refrozen storage in comparison with control treatment. In conclusion, the significant differences between fresh, thawed and refrozen meat in this study should give consumers concerns about buying frozen meat or consuming thawed meat.