Quality of poultry meat- the practical issues and knowledge based solutions

Animal protein is the most demanded and expensive source of nutritive protein, globally. Taking into account various types of poultry, the broiler (meat-type poultry) is widely accepted by various religious societies and relatively cheap amongst others animal protein sources. In particular, the chicken and turkey product is perceived to be healthier and of better quality due to a low content of fat, cholesterol and sodium compared to red meat. In order to maintain an unabated development and competitiveness of poultry industry, the priority is to focus on quality and safety of meat, during whole production and processing route. Consumers awareness of what should be considered a high quality product is constantly increasing, especially in the light of European and worldwide strategies to meet the common societal and environmental challenges, i.e. addressing the Zero Hunger goals, Green Deal and One Health concept. In this chapter, a common area of interest for a dialogue of poultry scientists and industrial practitioners is drawn from the background given on the consumer (demands and health)-centered issues.

Relationship among Sex, Skin Color, and Production Parameters of Broiler in Pectoral Myopathies

Breast anomalies in broilers, especially wooden breast (WB) and spaghetti meat (SM), cause high economic losses to the poultry meat sector. In order to identify the parameters that have a causal effect and to reduce the incidence of these myopathies, 141,792 broilers were analyzed in a total of 1477 batches using a visual grading system. The relationship among productive parameters such as the feed conversion ratio, live weight, growth rate, and mortality, was evaluated. Effects due to skin color (white vs. yellow), broiler sex (male, female, and mixed groups), feed presentation (grain vs. mash), and veterinary treatments (treated vs. untreated) were also included in the statistical study. Live weight was observed to have a significant effect (p < 0.001) on WB incidence, which increased by 1.11 for each 100 g of weight. Weight did not significantly affect the incidence of SM. Males had a higher incidence of WB and a lower incidence of SM than females. The incidence of both myopathies varied between samples that turned out to be significantly affected by some of the variables considered in the model, such as grain feeding and the feed conversion ratio. Controlling these factors in the broiler production could help to reduce the incidence of WB and SM.

Breast muscle myopathies in broiler: mechanism, status and their impact on meat quality

Almost a decade ago, the sudden rise of breast muscle defects in fast-growing commercial broiler breeds challenged the broiler production industry and meat scientists to address the issue of these novel muscle abnormalities. After that, a widespread hypothesis showing a correlation between high muscle yield and incidence of these muscle myopathies got much acceptance from the research community. Increased muscle hypertrophy and unbalanced growth of connective tissues lead to an inadequate blood supply that ultimately causes hypoxia in muscle fibers. Reduced blood vascular density in muscle fibers induces oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to muscle fibrosis, lipidosis and myodegeneration. Along with physical changes, the myopathic muscles exhibit poor sensory properties, abnormal texture properties and a low nutritional profile. As these myopathies alter meat’s physical appearance, they have a negative impact on customer’s behavior and preference. A better production environment with proper dietary supplementation with balanced breeding strategies can minimize the incidence of muscle myopathies in broiler chicken. This review aims to address the underlying mechanism behind these myopathies and their impact on poultry meat quality, including nutritional value and consumer behavior. It describes the link between genetic and non-genetic elements influencing myopathies, along with the strategies to minimize the occurrence of breast muscle myopathies.