SENSORY EVALUATION OF BREAST FILLETS FROM ARGON-STUNNED AND ELECTRICALLY-STIMULATED BROILER CARCASSES PROCESSED UNDER COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS

1. A comparison of eating quality of breast meat (pectoralis major) filleted at 2 h post-mortem was made between broilers stunned with argon-induced anoxia (less than 2% residual oxygen) and broilers which were electrically-stunned and their carcases electrically-stimulated under commercial conditions. 2. Fifty breast muscles were filleted from the carcases of argon stunned broilers at 2 h post-mortem. Fifty breast muscles were also removed at the same time from the carcases of broilers which were electrically-stunned and electrically-stimulated. A 'control' group of broilers which were electrically-stunned and electrically-stimulated and processed under as similar conditions as possible were also filleted after overnight ageing in the air chiller. 3. Sensory analysis was performed using 10 trained panelists, who were asked to rate the fillets on a 1 to 8 hedonic scale for taste, texture, juiciness and overall liking. 4. The mean ranks for texture and overall liking differed between the groups. The mean ranks based on texture were the lowest for control, intermediate for argon stunning and the lowest for electrical stimulation treatment group. The mean ranks based on overall liking were similar for the control and argon stunning groups, and their ranks were higher than that of electrical stimulation treatment group. The mean ranks for taste and juiciness did not differ significantly between the groups. 5. It is concluded that, in comparison with electrical stimulation of broiler carcases soon after plucking, stunning broilers with argon-induced anoxia produced tender breast meat when filleted at 2 h post-mortem.