Behaviour of muscle protein fractions of broilers during freezing and frozen storage

Authors

• R. R. Linko The State Institute for Technical Research, Laboratory for Food Research and Technology, Helsinki
• O. E. Nikkilä The State Institute for Technical Research, Laboratory for Food Research and Technology, Helsinki

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.71600

Abstract

A method has been introduced for the analysis of protein fractions in chicken, in analogy with similar fractionation used for fish muscle proteins. The percentage figures for the most important protein fractions in the breast muscle of 9-week-old broilers were found to be: sarcoplasmic protein 30, »myosin» 59, giving a total of soluble proteins of 89, and stroma proteins 11 per cent. This method was applied to follow possible changes in the solubility of »myosin» during post-mortem aging and subsequent freezing and frozen storage. At the same time, there were determined the pH and water-binding capacity. Organoleptic evaluation was used as a check. It was found that the solubility of »myosin» was lowered only in broilers frozen without aging, after 1 month of storage. Simultaneously, water-binding capacity was lowered, and the meat proved tough by organoleptic test. Prolonged frozen storage, by contrast, caused no loss in solubility of »myosin». The water-binding capacity was lowered after prolonged storage, particularly in broilers frozen without aging.