Effect of breeder age and slaughter weight on meat quality traits of broiler breast and leg meats

Summary The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of breeder age (28-wk vs. 48-wk of age breeders) on meat quality traits of breast and leg meats of broilers slaughtered at 1800, 2100 and 2400 g weights. The pH 24, colour, thawing and cooking loss, texture, initial protein solubility and myofibril dimensions were measured. Slaughter weight affected pH 24, lightness, thawing and cooking loss and protein solubilities of broiler breast and leg meat. Tenderness of leg meat decreased with slaughter weight. Breast meat from 48-wk breeders lost more water during thawing. A significant breeder age by slaughter weight interaction showed that the increases in initial myofibrillar protein solubility of breast meat and both initial myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein solubilities of leg meat with slaughter weight were higher in broilers from 28-wk breeders than those from 48-wk breeders There was negative correlation between breast meat pH 24 and L*, b*, and thawing loss whereas leg meat pH 24 was positively correlated with a*, negatively correlated with b*, texture, thawing and cooking loss. A negative correlation was found between cooking loss and myofibrillar protein solubilities of breast meat.