Automated Phosphate Injection of Whole Broiler Carcasses

Automated injection of phosphate solution into broiler carcasses at levels near the U.S.D.A. permitted level of 3% decreased weight loss during storage, improved cooking yields and lowered shear values of breast meat. Carcasses were selected at a broiler processing plant and subjected to a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments that included three chilling treatments (dry chilled, chilled in 3°C. water and chilled in 3°C. water after prechilling in 10° C. water) and three injection treatments (control, water and 12% polyphosphate solution). Weight loss of carcasses was highest during the first 24 hours of 3°C. storage and similar for all chilling and injection treatments. However, over the entire 7-day storage period the phosphate injection treatments seemed to retard the weight loss of water chilled treatments. Net gains through chilling, injection and 3° C. storage were about 20 gms. for most non-injected or water injected carcasses, but were 40 gms. or more for phosphate injected water chilled birds. Average cooked yields were higher for phosphate injection treatments (84.4%) than for control (82.9%) or water injection (82.2%). Average shear values (kg./g. of sample) of breast meat were lower for phosphate treated carcasses (4.6) than for control (6.6) or water injected (6.5).