Marination properties and sensory evaluation of breast fillets from air-chilled and immersion-chilled broiler carcasses

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1 Marination properties and sensory evaluation of breast fillets from air-chilled and immersion-chilled broiler carcasses A. V. S. Perumalla,* A. Saha,* Y. Lee, J. F. Meullenet, and C. M. Owens * 1 * Department of Poultry Science and Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of carcass chilling methods on marination properties, tenderness, sensory attributes, and consumer acceptance of broiler breast fillets. A total of 120 broilers were slaughtered at 6 wk of age. Carcasses were either immersion chilled (in a 2-stage prechill-chill system; IC) or air chilled (AC) and then deboned at 3 h postmortem to allow sufficient chilling time for the AC carcasses. Fillets were tumble marinated in a 16.5% solution (0.75% salt and 0.45% phosphate, final concentration) at 24 h postmortem for 30 min. Weight change attributable to chilling of the ready-to-cook carcasses, marination pickup, marination retention, cook loss, and total loss of raw fillets was measured. Instrumental tenderness of cooked fillets was measured using the Meullenet-Owens razor shear method. Fillets were also evaluated by a consumer sensory panel (n = 72) for texture, flavor, and juiciness, including overall acceptance. During the chilling process, the IC birds had a significantly greater percentage of weight change in the ready-to-cook carcass (3.94%) than did the AC birds ( 2.02%). Although carcasses had weight changes caused by the chilling method, chilling method did not affect marination properties, as indicated by no significant differences between treatments in marination pickup and marination retention. However, significant differences were observed in cook loss and total loss in marinated breast fillets, with lower losses in the AC method, whereas nonmarinated fillets from the 2 chilling methods demonstrated similar cook losses and total losses. Tenderness was not affected by chilling method (IC and AC), based on instrumental Meullenet-Owens razor shear values of marinated and nonmarinated breast fillets. Results of consumer testing followed similar trends, showing no significant differences in overall acceptance, texture, and flavor attributes between IC and AC broiler breast fillets regardless of the chilling method. When marinating breast fillets, air chilling had a yield advantage over immersion chilling, as evidenced by the lower cook loss in breast fillets. Key words: broiler breast meat, marination, immersion chilling, air chilling, consumer test INTRODUCTION Poultry meat is a popular meat of choice in the typical American diet, and it has the highest per capita consumption compared with other types of meat (USDA, Economic Research Service, 2010). The poultry industry has been successful in adding value to poultry meat, and thus increasing market demand, a key in the growth of the industry. One such attempt to place greater emphasis on value-added foods is the use of air chilling in the US poultry industry. Although the practice of immersion (water) chilling is predominant in the United States, air chilling, which is commonly practiced in Europe, is gaining popularity because of the limited water usage, absence of water uptake, change 2011 Poultry Science Association Inc. Received April 15, Accepted November 12, Corresponding author: cmowens@uark.edu 2011 Poultry Science 90 : doi: /ps in US federal regulations regarding moisture retention in broiler carcasses, and sewage discharge restrictions (Lillard, 1982; USDA, 2001; Sams and McKee, 2010). Currently, approximately 5 commercial air-chilling processing facilities are in operation in the United States. Installing air-chilling equipment may improve the economic aspect (by exports and volume of production) of the US poultry processing industry (Durham, 2008). Chilling of carcasses is considered a critical step in poultry processing to enhance food safety and quality by reducing the growth rate of pathogenic and spoilage microflora of the carcasses (Brant, 1974; Thompson et al., 1974; Veerkamp, 1989; James et al., 2005). The low temperatures used in chillers reduce the carcass temperature to less than 4 C on exiting the chilling tank, thereby meeting USDA regulations that carcasses must be 4 C or less within 4 h of the death of the broilers (Food Safety and Inspection Service-USDA, 1996). Immersion chilling generally involves multiple stages of water tanks with countercurrent flow to increase 671

2 672 the efficiency of heat exchange. Carcasses are chilled in the first stage, called prechill, at 10 to 15 C for approximately 15 min, followed by chilling at 1 to 4 C for 45 to 110 min, depending on the size of the bird (Zenoble et al., 1977; Robert, 1985; Sams and McKee, 2010). Immersion chilling also leads to water pickup in the broilers, which is significant, given USDA labeling regulations regarding labeling of water or moisture retention according to the Code of Federal Regulations [9CFR (b); Code of Federal Regulations, 2003]. Disadvantages of moisture retention are the large variation in drip loss or excessive weeping on thawing and the higher transport costs. Air chilling involves passing the shackle lines of carcasses through large rooms of circulating cold air ( 7 to 2 C) for approximately 3 h (Veerkamp, 1989). Airchilled (AC) carcasses usually exhibit a weight loss (up to 4%) during chilling, with the level of loss depending on system configuration settings. This weight loss contrasts with the weight gain resulting from immersion chilling. To enhance the cooling effect, water can be sprayed on the carcasses, which is known as evaporative air chilling (Mielnik et al., 1999). This process uses the extra cooling effect that occurs as water evaporates from the carcass surface, and it also minimizes weight loss (Allen et al., 2000). Because air chilling is a limited practice in the United States, it can be considered a niche or specialty market (Crews, 2006; Durham, 2008). Moreover, AC products are sold at a premium price and have become popular in some retail markets. Marketing claims have been made that air chilling results in better meat quality, with no water added, and in better flavor, which may be due to the retention of more nutrients and flavor-producing compounds that are otherwise leached out during water chilling. Hale and Stadelman (1969) and Hale et al. (1973) stated that commercially processed AC broilers showed a subtle but detectable flavor advantage over conventional immersion-chilled (IC) broilers. However, the typical broiler processed approximately 40 yr ago was a different bird from the typical broiler processed today (e.g., yield, composition, market age). More recent research has shown no significant difference in flavor and odor attributes of cooked chicken between airchilling and evaporative air-chilling methods (Mielnik et al., 1999). Researchers have also shown that the average shear forces were lower in AC broilers compared with IC broilers, indicating that air chilling improves tenderness (Dransfield et al., 1984). More recently, Huezo et al. (2007a) reported that even though the ph of water-chilled and AC broiler breast fillets were similar, Allo-Kramer shear values of AC broiler breast fillets (early deboned) were lower than those of water-chilled breast fillets (early deboned). Marination is a common technique used to improve meat quality attributes, such as water-holding capacity, tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. In the last decade, marination of fresh boneless, skinless broiler breast Perumalla et al. meat has increased in popularity and has now become a standard practice for some product lines. Marination typically involves injecting or tumbling breast fillets with a marinade containing water, salt, and phosphates (optional), although other ingredients may also be included. Although current marketing of AC products focuses on no water added and better meat quality, it is possible that marination of AC products may become popular in the future, just as it has with the IC counterparts, especially if air chilling becomes more mainstream. Information is limited regarding the influence of chilling method on consumer acceptability of nonmarinated or marinated products. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of chilling method (AC or IC) on meat quality, marination properties, and consumer sensory qualities of broiler breast fillets. Processing MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 120 six-week-old broilers were obtained from the university poultry farm on the day of processing. Feed was withdrawn 10 h before slaughter, but birds had free access to water. Birds were transported in coops to the processing plant 15 min before slaughter. Birds were hung on shackles and processed in 3 replications (n = 10/treatment per replication; total n = 30/treatment), using in-line commercial equipment. Birds were electrically stunned (11 V, 11 ma, 10 s) and manually cut, bled, and scalded (52.7 C, 2 min), and feathers were picked using in-line commercial defeathering equipment. Broilers were then eviscerated and the weight of the carcasses was recorded before chilling. The carcasses were chilled using IC or AC (Figure 1). Chilling The air chilling used in the experiment was carried out in a walk-in freezer and cooler in the pilot processing plant. After evisceration, carcasses were hung on racks with stationary shackles. The racks were then placed in the freezer at 4 C for 15 min to simulate commercial air-chilling conditions. After 15 min, the racks were moved to a cooler that was maintained at 3 C with an RH of 92 to 95%. At regular intervals (45 min after the beginning of air chilling), water was lightly sprayed (6 complete sprays, approximately 7 ml, with a hand sprayer applied by one person throughout study) on broiler carcasses in each replication to hasten the chilling process of the carcasses through evaporative chilling. Carcasses remained in the cooler for 2.5 h until the carcass internal temperature reached 4 C. Chilling time was determined based on preliminary experiments using similarly sized carcasses, with 4 C as the end-point temperature. In the current study, the

3 QUALITY OF FILLETS FROM AIR- OR IMMERSION-CHILLED CARCASSES 673 Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the experimental treatments. Fillets were deboned at 3 h postmortem and marinated at 24 h postmortem. MORS = Meullenet-Owens razor shear. internal end-point temperatures of carcasses were verified (4 C or less). After chilling, carcass weights were measured to determine the percentage of weight change during the chilling process. Immersion (water) chilling used a 2-stage chilling process: prechill at 12 C for 15 min, and chilling at 1 to 2 C for 75 min to an internal temperature of 4 C. Chlorine was added to the water at 50 mg/l to simulate the industrial method of carcass disinfection. Carcasses were manually agitated in the chilling tank to simulate commercial conditions to reduce thermal layering and improve chilling efficiency. After 75 min of chilling (total of 90 min), carcass temperatures were verified (4 C or less). They were then removed from the immersion chiller, drained, placed in totes, and held at 4 C until deboned. Carcass weights were recorded before and after chilling (5 min postchilling) to calculate the percentage of weight change. Deboning At 3 h postmortem, all the carcasses were deboned by experienced deboners using the Hamm method of severing the humeral-scapular joint, cutting along the clavicle, and pulling down firmly (Hamm, 1981), a typical process used by industry hand deboners. The right side of the breast fillets was used for yield and Meullenet-Owens razor shear (MORS) assessments, whereas the left side of the breast fillets was used for consumer sensory testing (Figure 1). Both sides of the breast fillet were weighed and then individually packed in zip-sealed bags. Breast fillets were aged on ice at 4 C in a walk-in cooler for 24 h for further analysis. Marination At 24 h postmortem, breast fillets (n = 30) from each chilling treatment (IC and AC) were marinated (IC- M and AC-M) in a vacuum tumbler (Model HVT- 30, Hollymatic, Countryside IL; 508 mmhg, 20 rpm, 30 min) in a cooler at 4 C in a 16.5% solution with a targeted final concentration of 0.75% salt (granulated NaCl, North American Salt Co., Overland Park, KS) and 0.45% sodium tripolyphosphate (Budenheim USA Inc., Plainview, NY). After marination, fillets were weighed to determine the percentage of pickup and then weighed again at 24 h after marination to determine the percentage of marination retention. The remaining fillets (n = 30) from each chilling treatment were not marinated or tumbled (IC-NM and AC-NM). Cooking At 48 h postmortem, right fillets of both IC and AC were placed on raised wire racks with covered aluminum foil-lined pans in a convection oven and cooked (Model No. E101-E, Duke Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, MO) to an internal end-point temperature of 76 C (Sams, 1990). Two cooking cycles were used to accommodate all fillets. Fillets were randomly selected for each cycle, with all treatments and replications represented in each cycle; however, each pan (consisting of 7 to 8 fillets) contained either marinated or nonmarinated fillets. Pans were rotated once during the cooking cycle, and end-point temperatures were monitored in multiple fillets per pan by inserting a temperature probe into the core of the fillet to ensure appropriate cook times and end-point temperatures. Fillets were weighed to determine cook loss as a percentage of the precooked fillet weight once they reached room temperature after cooking. After weighing, fillets were individually wrapped in aluminum foil and stored overnight at 4 C for assessment of meat tenderness on the next day. Total loss (%) was determined; this is the weight change of the breast fillet from deboning to further processing (i.e., weight of the cooked fillet).

4 674 MORS Instrumental Texture Analysis Shearing of breast fillets was conducted using the MORS method, as described by Cavitt et al. (2005). The instrument used to collect MORS data was a Texture Analyzer (TAXT2Plus, Texture Technologies, Scarsdale, NY) equipped with a 5-kg load cell. Cooled whole fillets were placed under the razor blade (8.9 mm wide) and were sheared perpendicular to the muscle fiber in 4 locations on each fillet. Shear energy (N/mm; MORSE) was calculated as the area under the force deformation curve from the beginning to the end of the test. The razor blade penetrated 20 mm in each fillet at a rate of 5 mm/s and was changed every 50 shearings to prevent dulling of the blade. Consumer Sensory Analysis All left fillets were thawed (initially frozen at 48 h postmortem) 24 h before the consumer test, placed in aluminum pans in a convection oven preheated to 190 C, and cooked to an internal end-point temperature of 76 C. Multiple cycles were used, and in each cooking cycle, all treatments were represented equally (approximately 8 fillets/treatment per cook). End-point temperatures were verified in all fillets by inserting a temperature probe into the core of the fillet. Samples were sectioned into cubes (1.25 cm 2 cubes) for sensory evaluation. All the cubed samples from each cook cycle were pooled together by treatment and were placed in a heat-holding food cabinet (model 500-3D, Alto-Shaam Inc., Menomonee Falls, WI) until they were served, with a maximum holding period of 30 min. A total of 80 consumers were recruited within the university by poster advertisement, communication, and personal contact. Of this number, 72 participated in the panel. The consumer sample population was 18 to 60 yr of age and from various socioeconomic backgrounds. The minimum sample size to obtain a representative sample of a population of broiler breast consumers was calculated to be 72, as discussed by Rea and Parker (1992). Consumer testing was conducted in a university sensory facility. Panelists were provided with identification cards in the order in which they arrived at the test site, and they were directed to individual test booths with written instructions. Samples were coded with randomly selected 3-digit numbers and balanced ordered tasting (Meilgaard et al., 1999). Each consumer was provided with a sample tray containing 3 to 4 cubes of the chicken breast meat. All the consumer panelists were provided with unsalted crackers and distilled water at room temperature for palette cleansing between samples and to eliminate carryover factors. Consumers were given a questionnaire (ballot) and were asked to record their scores for overall impression, texture, and flavor on a 9-point hedonic scale, with 9 = like extremely and 1 = dislike extremely. Consumers were also asked to assess their intensity scores on 5-point Perumalla et al. just about right (JAR) scales, with just about right = 3 (1 = much too weak ; 5 = much too strong ) for overall flavor, chicken flavor, and juiciness. Store purchase intent was evaluated on a 5-point scale, with 1 = definitely would not buy, 3 = may or may not buy, and 5 = definitely would buy. Statistical Analysis All data were analyzed by ANOVA using replicates as random effects and treatments (IC-NM, IC-M, AC- NM, and AC-M) as fixed effects. Least squares means were calculated for treatments and tested for statistical significance with Tukey s honestly significant difference test at a significance level of P < 0.05, using JMP software version 7.0 (SAS Institute, 2005). No significant interaction (P < 0.05) was found between panelist and chilling treatment. For sensory data, panelist was treated as a random effect and sample treatment was treated as a fixed effect. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 1 shows the weights and yields of broiler carcasses and fillets from IC and AC carcasses. Immersionchilled carcasses had an increase in weight (+3.94%) and a higher percentage weight change in ready-to-cook carcasses than in AC carcasses. This was expected because carcasses were immersed in water, and this is known to increase carcass yield (Zenoble et al., 1977; Robert, 1985). Air chilling resulted in a weight loss ( 2.02%) of the carcass. This was due to the exposure of AC carcasses to cold air during the chilling process, leading to a loss of carcass weight in the form of moisture (i.e., evaporative moisture loss), and this is consistent with previous research (Veerkamp, 1981; Young and Smith, 2004; Huezo et al., 2007a,b; Carroll and Alvarado, 2008; Zhuang et al., 2008). Although IC carcasses gained weight through the chilling process, the boneless, skinless breast fillets were not affected by the weight change (Table 1). Fillets from both the IC and AC carcasses were similar in weight (P > 0.05). This is likely because water absorption occurs primarily in the skin, rather than in the muscle tissue. Although fillet weights were similar between the IC and AC carcasses, the fillets from the IC carcasses had a significantly lower yield (P < 0.05) based on ready-to-cook weight. This was due to the significant increase in carcass weight (increase in percentage of weight change) in the IC treatment because of the chilling process, with the primary weight pickup being in the skin area rather than the muscle. Broiler breast fillets have been marinated to improve taste, tenderness, and protein functionality (Young et al., 1996; Young and Lyon, 1997). Marination also helps increase the consumer and retail demand for further processed and ready-to-eat food products (Alvarado and Sams, 2004). Table 2 shows the meat quality pa-

5 QUALITY OF FILLETS FROM AIR- OR IMMERSION-CHILLED CARCASSES 675 Table 1. Weights and yields of broiler carcasses and fillets from immersion-chilled (IC) or air-chilled (AC) carcasses 1 Parameter IC AC Pooled SEM Prechill carcass weight (g) 2,093 a 2,054 a 18.0 Postchill carcass weight (g) 2,175 a 2,012 b 19.2 Weight change 2 (%) 3.94 a 2.02 b 0.29 Deboned fillet weight 3 (g) a a Fillet yield 4 (%) 10.5 b 10.9 a 0.08 a,b Means within a row lacking a common superscript differ (P < 0.05). 1 n = 60/mean. 2 Weight change (%) of carcass as a result of the chilling method: (prechill postchill)/postchill Single fillet. 4 Yield of the single fillet: (fillet weight/postchill weight) 100. rameters of nonmarinated and marinated breast fillets from both chilling methods. Marination pickup is the amount of marinade solution absorbed by the breast fillets during the process of marination. Marination retention is defined in this study as the amount of marinade solution retained by the breast fillets 24 h after marination; it is also an indicator of water-holding capacity. Marination pickup was not affected by the chilling method, as indicated by the nonsignificant differences (P > 0.05) between the treatments. Furthermore, both the AC and IC treatments had similar marinade retention (P > 0.05). These results agree with Huezo et al. (2007b) and Perumalla (2007), who reported that fillets from AC carcasses had marinade pickup and retention similar to those of fillets from IC carcasses. Cook loss was also used as a measure of water-holding capacity. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in cook loss between the IC and AC nonmarinated treatments (Table 2). Marination of breast fillets with salt and phosphate increases ionic strength and ph, which ultimately increases the ability of muscle to retain water during cooking (Farr and May, 1970; Hamm, 1975; Young et al., 1991). However, AC-M fillets had lower cook loss compared with IC-M fillets. These results were similar to those of Huezo et al. (2007b), who reported a 2% improvement in cook yield by air chilling. The total loss percentage was measured in efforts to estimate the overall yield of product (accounting for drip and cook loss) regardless of marination and is calculated as the percentage of weight difference from the deboned breast fillets to the cooked breast fillets. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in total loss percentage between the IC-NM and AC-NM treatments. However, the IC-M breast fillets had a significantly higher total loss than did the AC-M breast fillets. These differences in weight change and loss can be attributed to the higher cook loss of IC-M breast fillets. As expected, all marinated fillets had lower total losses compared with nonmarinated fillets because of the addition of marinade. Meullenet-Owens razor shear energy values were used as an instrumental measurement of tenderness. In this study, the chilling method did not affect MORSE values (P > 0.05) in either nonmarinated or marinated fillets. Nonmarinated breast fillets from the 2 chilling treatments had similar (P > 0.05) MORSE values, with a range of to N/mm (Table 2), which would be considered slightly to moderately tough as perceived by the consumer panel (Cavitt et al., 2005). This is likely because of the early deboning time of 3 h postmortem. Marinated broiler breast fillets from the 2 chilling treatments were similar in MORSE values but ranged between and N/mm (Table 2), indicating that marinated fillets from the 2 treatments were in the slightly tender to moderately tender zone, as perceived by consumers (Cavitt et al., 2005). This suggests that marination improved the tenderness of early-slaughtered breast meat, which was as expected based on previous research findings (Young et al., 1991; Young and Lyon, 1997; Saha et al., 2009a,b; Kuttappan, 2009). Furthermore, marinated breast fillets had significantly lower MORSE values than did nonmarinated fillets. The data suggest that the chilling methods used in this study did not affect tenderness. Table 2. Meat quality parameters of nonmarinated (NM) or marinated fillets (M) from immersionchilled (IC) or air-chilled (AC) carcasses 1 Parameter IC-NM IC-M AC-NM AC-M Pooled SEM Marination pickup (%) a a 0.34 Marination retention (%) a a 0.09 Cook loss (%) a b a c 0.38 Total loss (%) a 7.10 b a 3.58 c 0.86 MORS 2 energy (N/mm) a b a b 3.54 a c Means within a row lacking a common superscript differ (P < 0.05). 1 n = 30/mean. 2 MORS = Meullenet-Owens razor shear.

6 676 Perumalla et al. Table 3. Consumer sensory attributes of nonmarinated (NM) or marinated (M) fillets from immersion-chilled (IC) or air-chilled (AC) carcasses 1 Treatment attribute 2 IC-NM IC-M AC-NM AC-M Pooled SEM Overall impression 4.6 a 7.0 b 4.5 b 6.7 a 0.07 Texture 4.2 a 6.8 b 4.6 b 6.9 a 0.06 Flavor 4.4 a 6.8 b 4.5 b 6.4 a 0.05 a,b Means within a row lacking a common superscript differ (P < 0.05). 1 n = 72 panelists. 2 Hedonic scale: 1 = dislike extremely; 9 = like extremely. The hedonic scale means for consumer testing attributes are summarized in Table 3. Overall impression is a descriptor based the integrated evaluation of product characteristics, including attributes such as flavor, texture, and juiciness, which estimate the balance and blend of the product (Lawless and Heymann, 1984). Chilling method had no significant effect on overall impression (P > 0.05) of the nonmarinated fillets (i.e., AC-NM vs. IC-NM) of broiler breast meat. In addition, IC-M breast fillets had an overall impression similar (P > 0.05) to that of AC-M fillets. The nonmarinated treatments (IC and AC) were categorized as dislike slightly to neither like nor dislike, whereas the marinated treatments (IC-M and AC-M) were categorized as like slightly to like moderately, based on the 9-point hedonic scales used (full scale shown in Table 4), indicating an improvement (P < 0.05) over the nonmarinated product. These results, along with previous research, suggest that marination improves water-holding capacity, flavor, and texture, which contribute as ultimate factors influencing the overall acceptability of the meat product (Young et al., 1991; Young and Lyon, 1997). It also suggests that chilling method alone does not affect eating quality of the product. Texture was also evaluated by the consumer panel (Table 3). No significant difference (P > 0.05) in hedonic means was found for the texture of nonmarinated breast fillets from the chilling treatments (IC-NM and AC-NM), and they were categorized as dislike slightly to neither like nor dislike. Furthermore, consumers had similar perception levels of texture for marinated breast fillets from the 2 chilling methods (IC-M and AC-M), which were categorized as like slightly to like moderately. However, the texture of marinated breast Table 4. Frequency (%) of consumer responses 1 for overall impression, flavor, and texture of the broiler breast fillets in the consumer sensory test 2 Attribute (scale score) IC-NM IC-M AC-NM AC-M Overall impression Dislike extremely (1) Dislike very much (2) Dislike moderately (3) Dislike slightly (4) Neither like nor dislike (5) Like slightly (6) Like moderately (7) Like very much (8) Like extremely (9) Texture Dislike extremely (1) Dislike very much (2) Dislike moderately (3) Dislike slightly (4) Neither like nor dislike (5) Like slightly (6) Like moderately (7) Like very much (8) Like extremely (9) Flavor Dislike extremely (1) Dislike very much (2) Dislike moderately (3) Dislike slightly (4) Neither like nor dislike (5) Like slightly (6) Like moderately (7) Like very much (8) Like extremely (9) n = 72 panelists. 2 NM = nonmarinated fillets; M = marinated fillets; IC = immersion-chilled carcasses; AC = air-chilled carcasses.

7 QUALITY OF FILLETS FROM AIR- OR IMMERSION-CHILLED CARCASSES 677 fillets (from the 2 chilling methods) had significantly higher scores than did the nonmarinated counterparts. These differences were attributed to the influence of marinating the breast fillets, which was consistent with previous literature indicating that marination of broiler breast fillets can be used as a means to improve taste, tenderness, and protein functionality (Young et al., 1991; Young and Lyon, 1997; Saha et al., 2009b). The sensory texture results were also consistent with the instrumental tenderness analysis (MORS), in which chilling method did not affect tenderness but marination improved it. Results for the flavor attributes were similar to those for overall impression and texture; there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in flavor between the IC-NM and AC-NM treatments (Table 3). The nonmarinated treatments for the 2 chilling methods were categorized as dislike slightly to neither like nor dislike. Furthermore, both the AC-M and IC-M treatments were similar in flavor according to hedonic scores, being categorized as like slightly to like moderately. Hale and Stadelman (1969) and Hale et al. (1973) proposed that commercially processed AC broilers showed a subtle but detectable flavor advantage over conventional IC broilers. Froning et al. (1960) attributed flavor differences to the fact that the retention of nutrients and flavor-producing compounds during air chilling gave air chilling an advantage over conventional water chilling. However, the results of these studies were not consistent with the findings of the current study, possibly because of the differences in genetics and the age or growth rate of present-day broilers compared with those from the 1960s and 1970s. Factors such as age, sex, and genetic strain have been shown to influence meat quality (Guhne, 1970; Simpson and Goodwin, 1974; Smith and Fletcher, 1988; Poole et al., 1999; Sams, 2002). The frequency distributions (%) for overall impression, texture, and flavor are presented in Table 4. In terms of texture and flavor, a greater percentage of consumers liked ( like slightly to like extremely ) the marinated breast fillets regardless of the chilling method, whereas a greater percentage of consumers disliked ( dislike slightly to dislike extremely ) the nonmarinated fillets regardless of the chilling method. These results reiterate the consumer preference for marination of poultry breast meat, which enhances the acceptability of the product regardless of the chilling method. Just about right scales were used to determine the appropriateness of the sensory attributes in the consumer test. In this study, overall flavor, chicken flavor, juiciness, and store purchase were evaluated for each of the treatments (Table 5). These JAR scales are bipolar in nature, with the extreme ends indicating opposite sensory descriptions and the middle category denoting just about right as the most acceptable (Gacula et al., 2006). The JAR overall flavor for nonmarinated breast fillets from both chilling methods was rated too weak to just about right. However, the JAR scale means for marinated breast fillets were significantly higher than those for nonmarinated fillets and were categorized as just about right. These results were similar to chicken flavor JAR means. These differences between nonmarinated and marinated treatments suggest that marination improved the flavor of the breast fillets, because the salt and phosphates in the marinade solution help stabilize the flavor of the meat (Farr and May, 1970). Furthermore, JAR means exhibited no significant differences between the chilling methods for any sensory attribute for either the nonmarinated or marinated fillets. Hence, it was evident that the chilling method did not have a significant effect on the overall flavor or the chicken flavor of the broiler meat. The JAR scores for juiciness were not affected by the chilling method. Approximately 50% of the consumers perceived nonmarinated breast meat (IC-NM and AC- NM) as too dry. However, the juiciness levels were significantly higher in marinated fillets from the 2 chilling treatments compared with nonmarinated fillets. The increase in juiciness levels in marinated fillets can be attributed to the ingredients (salt and phosphates) added during marination. Addition of salt increases water-holding capacity by increasing ionic strength and the space between the thick and thin filaments (Matthews and Strong, 2005). Salt is also a natural flavor enhancer and can induce salivation, leading to increased juiciness (Gillette, 1985; Neyraud et al., 2003). The phosphates used in marination improve the water-holding capacity of meat by increasing the ph and ionic strength of the muscle (Miller, 1998). Table 5. Just about right means 1 for sensory attributes of nonmarinated (NM) or marinated (M) fillets from immersion-chilled (IC) or air-chilled (AC) carcasses Sensory attribute 2 IC-NM IC-M AC-NM AC-M Pooled SEM Overall flavor 2.4 b 3.0 a 2.3 b 2.9 a 0.01 Chicken flavor 2.5 b 3.0 a 2.5 b 2.9 a 0.01 Juiciness 2.5 b 3.1 a 2.4 b 3.0 a 0.01 Store purchase b 3.7 a 2.3 b 3.5 a 0.02 a,b Means within a row lacking a common superscript differ (P < 0.05). 1 n = 72 panelists. 2 A 5-point just about right scale was used for overall flavor, chicken flavor, and juiciness (1 = much too weak; 3 = just about right; 5 = much too strong). 3 Scale: 1 = definitely would not buy; 3 = may or may not buy; 5 = definitely would buy.

8 678 Perumalla et al. Table 6. Frequency (%) of consumer responses 1 for overall flavor, chicken flavor, juiciness, and store purchase of the broiler breast fillets in the consumer test 2 Attribute (scale score) IC-NM IC-M AC-NM AC-M Overall flavor Much too weak (1) Too weak (2) Just about right (3) Too strong (4) Much too strong (5) Chicken flavor Much too weak (1) Too weak (2) Just about right (3) Too strong (4) Much too strong (5) Juiciness Much too dry (1) Too dry (2) Just about right (3) Too moist (4) Much too moist (5) Store purchase Definitely would not buy (1) Probably would not buy (2) May or may not buy (3) Probably would buy (4) Definitely would buy (5) n = 72 panelists. 2 NM = nonmarinated fillets; M = marinated fillets; IC = immersion-chilled carcasses; AC = air-chilled carcasses. Panelists were also asked for their willingness to buy the products as a possible store purchase product. Purchase price was not included in this assessment. In the blinded test, chilling method did not affect consumer preferences to buy or not buy the product. There was no significant difference in willingness to buy IC-NM and AC-NM broiler breast meat or IC-M and AC-M broiler breast meat (Table 5). However, regardless of chilling treatment, the marinated breast fillets had higher JAR scores than the nonmarinated breast fillets. Furthermore, 59.7% of the consumers (Table 6) indicated that they probably or definitely would buy the marinated breast fillets (IC-M or AC-M) regardless of the chilling method, compared with approximately 13% for nonmarinated fillets. In conclusion, the current study indicates that air chilling and immersion chilling of carcasses result in similar meat quality attributes, such as tenderness, flavor, and juiciness, and that marination improves these attributes overall. However, when marinating, fillets from AC carcasses had a yield advantage over fillets from IC carcasses, as evidenced by the lower cook loss. REFERENCES Allen, V. M., J. E. Corry, C. H. Burton, R. T. Whyte, and G. C. Mead Hygiene aspects of modern poultry chilling. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 58: Alvarado, C. Z., and A. R. Sams Early postmortem injection and tumble marination effects on broiler breast meat tenderness. Poult. Sci. 83: Brant, A. W The current status of poultry chilling in Europe. Poult. Sci. 53: Carroll, C. D., and C. Z. Alvarado Comparison of air and immersion chilling on meat quality and shelf life of marinated broiler breast fillets. Poult. Sci. 87: Cavitt, L. C., J. F. Meullenet, R. Xiong, and C. M. Owens The correlation of razor blade shear, Allo-Kramer shear, Warner-Bratzler shear, and sensory tests to changes in tenderness of broiler breast fillets. J. Muscle Foods 16: Code of Federal Regulations CFR section (b). Retained water in meat and poultry products. FSIS Directive, Accessed Dec 15, FSISDirectives/ pdf. Crews, J A niche evolves. Meat Poult. 52(12): Dransfield, E., N. F. Down, A. A. Taylor, and D. K. Lockeyer Influence of electrical stimulation and slow chilling on the texture of turkey breast muscle. Pages in Proc. Eur. Mtg. Meat Res. Workers. No. 30. Bristol, UK. Durham, S Chillin chickens Which method works best? Agric. Res. 56(4): Farr, A. J., and K. M. May The effect of polyphosphates and sodium chloride on cooking yields and oxidation stability of chicken. Poult. Sci. 49: Food Safety and Inspection Service-USDA Final rule on pathogen reduction and hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) systems. US Dept. Commerce, Washington, DC. Fed. Regist. 61(144)/Thursday, July 25, 1996/Rules and Regulations, p Froning, G. W., M. H. Swanson, and H. N. Benson Moisture levels in frozen poultry as related to thawing losses, cooking losses, and palatability. Poult. Sci. 39: Gacula, M., S. Rutenbeck, L. Pollack, A. V. A. Resurreccion, and H. Moskowitz The just-about-right intensity scale: Functional analysis and relation to hedonics. J. Sens. Stud. 22: Gillette, M Flavor effects of sodium chloride. Food Technol. 39: Guhne, W Tenderness of broiler meat dependent on weight, sex, and age of the birds. World s Poult. Sci. J. 26:739. (Abstr.) Hale, K. K. Jr., and W. J. Stadelman Flavor difference between wet-chilled and dry-chilled broilers. Poult. Sci. 48:

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