Imaging analysis by digital camera for separating broiler breast meat with low water-holding capacity

Separating breast meat with low water-holding capacity, conformation parameters (thickness, volume, bottom sarea, and perimeter), and color of chicken breast meat were measured by direct measurement and by imaging analysis with a digital camera. Samples were obtained from a production line. The L* value was used to separate the samples by three characteristics designating the quality of the meat: dark-colored samples (L*<50), normal-colored samples (50<=L*<=56), and light-colored samples (L*>56). Light-colored samples had higher moisture content, thawing loss, drip loss, and lower pH compared with those of normal- and dark-colored samples. Lower thickness was observed in the light-colored samples compared with those of normal- and dark-colored samples. Light- and normal-colored samples had a greater volume of meat than did the dark-colored samples. Imaging analysis showed that light-colored samples had a greater bottom area and perimeter compared with those of normal- and dark-colored samples. However, these conformation parameters showed low correlation with water-holding capacity, which was determined as thawing and drip loss of the samples. Therefore, the conformation parameters, determined by direct measurement or imaging analysis, could not be used to predict the water-holding capacity of breast meat. Nevertheless, water-holding capacity showed high correlation with the L* value of breast meat. Imaging analysis could be used to separate light-colored breast meat with mostly low water-holding capacity. The accuracy of determining the characteristics of light-, normal-, and dark-colored samples by imaging analysis was evaluated. The characteristics of light-colored samples were determined with higher accuracy by imaging analysis than were the characteristics of normal- and dark-colored samples. This result indicated that imaging analysis using a digital camera could be used to separate light-colored breast meat with mostly low water-holding capacity from normal- and dark-colored meat.