Influence of Prerigor, Rigor and Postrigor Freezing on Drip Losses and Protein Changes in Chicken Meat

SUMMARY Tests made with chickens frozen before rigor, during rigor, and after rigor showed that the amount of drip exuded on thawing was greatest in poultry frozen during rigor. The loss of nitrogenous constituents and ribose increased proportionally with the amount of drip. Protein solubility was minimum, and cooking losses maximum, in poultry frozen during rigor. The factors responsible for drip loss in poultry appear to be similar, regardless of the stage of rigor mortis at which the meat was frozen. It is probable that more water froze out of muscle during the state of rigor, causing higher solute concentrations in the tissue. The higher solute concentration in the muscle tissue frozen during rigor may affect the solubility of proteins and their ability to reabsorb water on thawing, and thus affect tenderness and loss of drip.