Effect of white striping on quality traits of raw and marinated chicken breast meat

The appearance of white striping or striations parallel to muscle fibres on the surface of chicken breast fillets (pectoralis major muscles) is a new emerging poultry meat quality issue. It has been already demonstrated that white striping noticeably decreased consumer acceptance of pre-packaged breast meat, however few information are still available on its impact on technological traits of the meat. The purpose of this study was to characterize raw and marinated meat quality properties of fillets showing different degrees of white striping. To pursue this aim, 153 fillets were selected based on white striping degree (normal, moderate and severe) after the breast-deboning area in a commercial processing plant. Samples were used to evaluate ultimate pH, colour, drip loss, cook loss and AK-shear force on nonmarinated meat as well to determine marinade uptake, purge loss, cook loss, total yield and AK-shear force after marination with a solution containing sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium chloride. The ultimate pH of severe white striped breast fillets was significantly higher than in normal and moderate groups (5.95 vs 5.86 and 5.88; P<0.01). There were no differences in the lightness (L*) of meat, but moderate and severe samples showed a significant (P<0.01) increase in redness (a*) and yellowness (b*). As for non-marinated meat, cook losses increased as the degree of white striping increased from normal to severe groups (21.27 vs 23.20 vs 26.74%; P<0.01). Moreover, the severe white striping resulted in significantly (P<0.01) lower shear values if compared with moderate and normal groups. With regard to marinated meat, there was a decrease in the marinade uptake as the degree of white striping increased from normal to severe (12.67 vs 10.97 vs 7.92%; P<0.01). In addition, severe group had higher (P<0.01) purge loss, cook loss and lower total yield if compared with moderate and normal groups. Finally, severe white striped fillets had lower AK-shear force values. In conclusion, this study evidenced that white striping had a remarkable detrimental effect on breast meat quality attributes by mainly reducing ability of the meat to hold and bind liquids during processing and storage.