Effects of Salt Brine Chilling and Hot Boning on Tenderness of Canned Fowl Light Meat

Two trials were conducted to determine the effects of hot boning and 5% NaCl brine chilling on the tenderness of canned spent hen light meat. Pectoralis superficialis muscles were precooked in water (90 C) to 71 C prior to retort processing [250 C, 1.76 kg/cm2 (25 psi), 30 min] in chicken bouillon. Shear force values for hot boned samples were significantly higher than those for conventionally processed, water-chilled samples. However, the difference in these values was significantly reduced by salt brine chilling the hot-boned fillets for 4 hr in 5% NaCl ice slush. Tenderization of hot-boned fillets was attributed to increased water holding capacity of the meat, which in turn increased tenderness. Salt brine chilling had no significant effect on the shear values of conventionally processed spent hen meat. Analysis showed significantly higher moisture and chloride values for brine-chilled samples, whereas sodium content of the hot-boned, brine-chilled samples was significantly higher than that for other treatments.