Processing Factors Affecting Pheasant Meat Quality

IT HAS been estimated that at least 50 million pheasants are processed yearly for food consumption in the United States (McCluney, 1967). Pheasant consumption could increase significantly because a diverse and generally affluent society contains many persons with gourmet tastes for rich, flavorful meats like that of pheasants. Restaurants, airlines, delicatessens, and local supermarkets are potential outlets for quality processed and packaged pheasants, and American consumers desire ever new, different, and varied foods. Limited information is available on processing factors that affect pheasant meat quality. The influence of scalding and aging temperatures on the quality of pheasant meat were evaluated in this study. Dodge and Stadelman (1959) reported that chickens aged in 0°C. water were significantly tenderer than those aged in 22°C. water. Klose et al. (1961), Shannon et al. (1957) and van den Berg et al. (1964) reported tenderizing poultry by aging to be complete in 20–24 hours…