Evaluation of Turkey Boning Techniques

FURTHER processing holds a great potential for increasing turkey consumption providing fabrication costs can be held to a competitive level. Currently, initial processing and further processing of turkeys are usually performed in two separate plants (Benjamin et al., 1960; Kilpatrick and Pond, 1960; and Swanson, 1965). The further processing plant begins by procuring frozen whole turkeys, transporting them to the plant, and storing them until they are used, all of which adds to the cost of the turkey before actual further processing operations begin (Farms, 1963; and Mitchell, 1964). Much of the boning done today is performed by machines after the carcass is cooked which produces a meat slurry and limits the use of the meat (Marshall, 1964; Stadelman, 1965; Jack et al., 1965). Thus, hand boning although expensive is still superior to machine boning for many further processed turkey items (Mountney, 1966). The actual onset rate of rigor mortis . . .