The Effect of Thiosemicarbazide Administration on the Tenderness of Meat Obtained from Mature Chickens and on Some Characteristics of Its Intramuscular Collagen

The effect of thiosemicarbazide administration on the tenderness of meat from mature chickens was investigated. The thiosemicarbazide administered mature chickens were significantly more tender than controls, although the body weight of the administered chickens decreased during the period of feeding. The muscles from the thiosemicarbazide administered birds contained more collagen than controls. Both the amounts of acid soluble collagen and its aldehyde content were significantly increased by thiosemicarbazide administration. The extremely large difference was noted in the thermal behavior of acid soluble collagen between the administered and control birds. Electron microscopic observation also showed the great difference between both groups of collagen.