362 Utilizing Chicken Breast with Wooden Breast and White Striping in Processed Meat Products

Wooden breast (WB) and white striping (WS) are two myopathies impacting the broiler market. Wooden breast and WS may occur individually or in concert with each other. Wooden breast is characterized by increased rigidity and firmness in the pectoralis major and has been associated with breast meat from larger, faster growing broilers. It begins in the ventral-cranial region and increases in severity, moving toward the deeper and more caudal portions of the muscle. Although the etiology is not fully understood, compositional characteristics of WB include increased collagen and lipid deposition and decreased water holding capacity. Breast fillets exhibiting WS are characterized by the size and amount of striping that occurs on the surface of the pectoralis major. These breasts express similar compositional characteristics to those with WB. Both WB and WS have been associated with decreased organoleptic and rheological properties, causing industry losses estimated in excess of $200 million annually through value downgrades, trim loss, and diversion to rendering. Although WB and WS meat have decreased rheological properties, some lost value may be recaptured through further processing. Recent studies have shown that both blade tenderization and marination improved the textural properties of afflicted breast meat, but neither were able to overcome the differences between afflicted and normal breast meat. Research investigating comminuted and emulsified products containing WB or WS meat have shown similar results due to the lower extraction of salt-soluble proteins and subsequent low bind and gelation properties. When WB/WS meat was included as a portion of the meat block with normal breast meat, textural and rheological differences were ameliorated. Using WB or WS meat in further processed products may give processors an alternative use for afflicted breast meat. Additional research should continue to explore how WB and WS meat can be incorporated into further processed and value-added products.