Chemical composition and pH of the meat of broilers submitted to pre-slaughter heat stress

ABSTRACT

In order to evaluate the chemical composition and pH of chicken meat subjected to heat stress during the pre-slaughter rest time, an experiment was conducted in a slaughterhouse. Twenty-five birds were randomly selected and housed in rooms without air conditioning for a 3-hour period, with an average temperature of 33C and relative humidity of 83%. After slaughter, the carcasses were deboned and prime cuts were chilled (between 0 and 4 C) for 24 hours for analysis of moisture levels, protein, fat, ash, and pH. The humidity values were 72.80, 71.47, and 70.30%, protein values were 16.81, 14.90, and 15.10%, lipid values were 0.78, 3.30, and 5.80%, ash values were 0.81, 0.88, and 0.89%, and pH values were 5.30, 6.10, and 6.54 for breast, thigh, and drumstick, respectively. Heat stress for 3 hours before slaughter led to changes in the chemical composition and pH of the chicken, which establishes an anomaly in the flesh of the PSE type (pale, soft, and exudative). It is evident that pre-slaughter management is important to ensure animal welfare and consequently high meat quality.(AU)