Thermal properties of connective tissue in breast and leg muscles of chickens and turkeys
2009
Voutila, Liisa | Ruusunen, Marita | Jouppila, Kirsi | Puolanne, E (Eero)
BACKGROUND: There is a need to characterise connective tissue of chicken and turkey as they can be involved in meat defects. This study focused on the content and thermal stability of intramuscular connective tissue. A comparison between breast and leg muscles and between 38-day-old chickens (Ross 502) and 110-111-day-old turkeys (Nicholas 300) commercially produced in Finland was made.RESULTS: Collagen content of breast muscles was lower than that of leg muscles (approx. 2.4 mg g⁻¹ vs. 4.0 mg g⁻¹, respectively, P < 0.05), but collagen content was similar in chickens and turkeys. The percentage of soluble collagen in chicken muscles was higher than that in turkey muscles (P < 0.05). In chickens, more soluble collagen was found in leg muscles than in breast muscles (P < 0.05). Chicken breast muscles had higher onset temperature of thermal shrinkage (To) of intramuscular connective tissue than turkey breast muscles (P < 0.05). Chicken leg muscles had higher peak temperature of thermal shrinkage (Tp) of intramuscular connective tissue than turkey leg muscles (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Chickens and turkeys had similar collagen content and To and Tp despite the species, age and muscle difference. However, the higher collagen solubility in chickens than in turkeys indicated that collagen was less matured in chickens than in turkeys.
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