Evaluation of physicochemical and functional properties of broiler breast with White Striping

Intense genetic selection due to the economic need for faster weight gain in poultry and shorter slaughter times has altered animal physiological behavior and caused muscle tissue damage. WS in broiler chickens is characterized by the appearance of white striations on breast and thigh meat parallel to the direction of muscle fibers and can be categorized as normal (NORM), moderate (MOD) or severe (SEV). This study aimed to determine the incidence of WS and characterize breast meat according to pH, color, size, chemical composition, total (TC) and soluble collagen (SC), water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), shear force (SF), emulsifying capacity (EC) and fatty acid profile. The WS incidence (n = 660) was 51.67 and 31.36% for MOD and SEV samples, respectively. The highest L* values were observed in meat classified as MOD and SEV. Cranial thickness values were higher in SEV meat, with 29% of these samples also exhibiting more TC, 26% greater CL, and 27% higher lipid levels and SF when compared to the NORM group. No significant differences were observed for the remaining determinations.