Liquid Nitrogen Exposure as an Alternative Means of Chilling Poultry

Chilling of broilers by liquid nitrogen exposure resulted in lower Warner‐Bratzler shear values and longer sarcomere lengths, indicating more tender meat when compared with immersion chilled broilers. Liquid nitrogen chilling also resulted in higher cooking yields. Experienced panelists detected a highly significant (P < 0.005) difference between liquid nitrogen chilled and immersion chilled poultry meat with a preference for the liquid nitrogen chilled product. Significant correlations existed between objective and subjective methods for tenderness evaluation and between Warner‐Bratzler shear values and sarcomere lengths. Liquid nitrogen chilling of poultry resulted in a product with a longer shelf‐life when compared with that of immersion chilled broilers.