Pilot-Plant Washing Procedure to Remove Fat and Color Components from Mechanically Deboned Chicken Meat

A pilot-plant extraction procedure was evaluated for efficiency in removing fat and color from mechanically deboned chicken meat (MDCM) produced from skinless broiler breast frames. Ninety-one-kilogram (200 lb) batches of MDCM were extracted with a .75% sodium bicarbonate solution (pH = 8.0) followed by a rinse with tap water. The pH of the water/meat slurry was adjusted to 6.8 with 1 N HCl to facilitate dewatering. The meat slurries were pumped through a continuous decanting centrifuge after the washing and rinsing steps. The raw washed (RW) MDCM was evaluated using the International Commission on Illumination (CIE, 1978) color values; it was found to be lighter in color (L* = 69) and less red (a* = 3) than the raw unwashed (RU) MDCM (L* = 51, a* = 15). Cooked washed meat (CW) was also lighter (L* = 67) and less red (a* = 4) than the cooked unwashed (CU) MDCM (L* = 58, a* = 9). The RU MDCM fat content (12.8%) was reduced by washing to 1.5% in the RW meat. The CU MDCM had a significantly higher fat content (13.0%) than the CW MDCM (2.5%). This pilot-plant washing procedure was effective in removal of fat and color from MDCM.