Meat Color and Biochemical Characteristics of Unacceptable Dark‐colored Broiler Chicken Carcasses

Spectrocolorimetry, pH, TBARS, total pigment and myoglobin were measured in normal and abnormally dark‐colored broiler chicken breast muscle. Analyses of L*, a* and b* values revealed that a* values were highly sensitive and specific to differentiate normal from dark‐colored carcasses and thus could be used as a potential diagnostic method for carcass classification at slaughter. Color characteristics (L*, a*, and b* values), pH, total pigment, myoglobin, and iron concentrations were all significantly different in dark‐colored muscle when compared with normal muscle. TBARS values and percentage moisture for the two groups were not different.