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Fillets (pectoralis superficialis) were harvested from broiler carcasses immediately after picking (hot boned), immediately after chilling (chill boned), or after a 24-hr aging period (age boned). Hot-boned fillets and all carcasses were equally distributed within two chilling solutions; tap water or 5% sodium chloride solution. The pH at the time of boning was ascertained for all fillets. Battered, breaded, deep-fat fried fillets were analyzed for shear force, percent chloride ion, and moisture and sodium concentration. Boning time produced the greatest effect on tenderness of broiler breast meat, with tenderness improving as the length of time between slaughter and boning was increased. Brine chilling improved tenderness of hot-boned fillets to the same level as that observed for fillets harvested from carcasses immediately after chilling but had no effect on fillets harvested postchill or after aging. Improvement in tenderness of brine-chilled, hot-boned fillets could not be explained on the basis of pH or water-holding capacity but was related to higher tissue chloride ion concentration.
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SAMS et al. (1986) studied this question.
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