Macromineral concentration and technological properties of poultry meat depending on slaughter age of broiler chickens of uniform body weight.

摘要

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of slaughter age of broiler chickens on macromineral levels of breast and leg muscles and their association with meat quality. Used were fast-growing Hybro chickens kept on litter and fed the uniform diet. Ten chickens weighing 2 kg each were selected for slaughter at 35, 38 and 42 day of life. Breast and leg muscles were evaluated for pH, colour (CIELAB), water-holding capacity, drip loss, cooking loss, shear force, as well as for Na, Ca, K, P and Mg content. The birds' age had an effect on the Na and K content of breast muscles and on the K, P and Mg content of leg muscles. No significant differences were found in most physicochemical characteristics of breast meat except pH which was the lowest in the oldest birds and cooking loss which was the highest in the youngest birds. No relationship between the level of individual minerals and meat quality traits was identified in breast muscles. In leg muscles Mg level correlated positively with pH_{15 min} and drip loss, P level with pH_{15 min}, and potassium level with waterholding capacity. Breast muscles turned out to be a richer source of K, Mg and P and leg muscles contained more Na.