Abstract
Pre-slaughter conditions can interfere with the quality of meat. Proper stunning systems can minimize the occurrence of meat anomalies. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of electrical stunning parameters on the quality of turkey meat. Nine assays were conducted, with varying frequency, current, and voltage. The variables assessed in the assays were incidence of bruising, bleeding, blood splash and contusions, pH, color, water holding capacity, and shear force. A high incidence of bruising was observed in the breasts (25.0–57.1%) and carcasses (52.5–58.5%) of the turkeys. The pH of the turkey breasts ranged from 5.9 to 6.0 and the shear force ranged from 13.9 to 18.4 N. The frequencies had different effects on the assessed variables, leading to the formation of two groups: group 1—low frequencies (50–200 Hz) and group 2—high frequencies (633–1500 Hz). The incidence of anomalies in the turkey breast and carcasses was higher in group 1 than in group 2. The use of frequencies to stunning below 200 Hz tends to increase blood spots, fractures/contusions and bruising in turkey meat.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Associação Brasileira de Proteína Animal—ABPA Relatório Anual (2015) https://abpa-br.com.br/setores/avicultura/publicacoes/relatorios-anuais. Accessed 12 Dec
Barbut S (1996) Estimates and detection of the PSE problem in young turkey breast meat. Can J Anim Sci 76:455–457. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjas96-066
Barbut S (2010) Past and future of poultry meat harvesting technologies. World Poult Sci J 66:399–410. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0043933915000069
Barbut S, Sosnicki AA, Lonergan SM, Knapp T, Ciobanu DC, Gatcliffe LJ, Huff-Lonergan E, Wilson EW (2010) Progress in reducing the pale, soft and exudative (PSE) problem in pork and poultry meat. Meat Sci 79:46–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2007.07.031
Battula V, Schilling MW, Vizzier-Thaxton Y, Behrends JM, Williams JB, Schmidt TB (2008) The effects of low-atmosphere stunning and deboning time on broiler breast meat quality. Poult Sci 87:1202–1210. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2012-02266
Carvalho RH, Soares AL, Honoratto DCB, Guarnieiri PD, Pedrão MR, Paião FG, Oba A, Ida EI, Shimokomaki M (2014) The incidence of pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) turkey meat at a Brazilian commercial plant and the functional properties in its meat product. Food Sci Technol 59:883–888. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2014.07.019
Çelen MF, Söğüt B, Zorba Ö, Demirulus H, Tekeli A (2016) Comparison of normal and PSE turkey breast meat for chemical composition, pH, color, myoglobin, and drip loss. Rev Bras Zootec 45:441–444. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1806-92902016000800003
Durek J, Ghadiri Khozroughi A, Fröhling A, Schlüter O, Knorr F, Mader A, Goodarzi Boroojeni F, Zentek J, Knorr D, Bolling JS (2014) Effects of thermally treated broiler feed with different organic acid levels on resulting meat composition and parameters related to meat quality. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol 26:397–405. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2014.05.001
Fraqueza MJ, Cardoso AS, Ferreira MC, Barreto AS (2006) Incidence of Pectoralis major turkey muscles with light and dark color in a Portuguese slaughterhouse. Poult Sci 85:1992–2000. https://doi.org/10.1093/ps/85.11.1992
Froning GW, Babji AS, Mather FB (1978) The effect of preslaughter temperatures, stress, struggle and anesthetizatioin on color and textural characteristics of turkey muscle. Poult Sci 7:630–633
Gregory NG (1992) Catching damage. Poult Int 31:54–56
HSA—Humane Slaughter Association (2015) Electrical waterbath stunning of poultry. HSA, Wheathampstead
Hindle VA, Lambooij E, Reimert HGM, Workel LD, Gerritzen MA (2010) Animal welfare concerns during the use of the water bath for stunning broilers, hens, and ducks. Poult Sci 89(3):401–412. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2009-00297
Jacky TYC, Dileep AO, Mirko B (2011a) Effect of ultimate pH and freezing on the biochemical properties of proteins in turkey breast meat. Food Chem 127:109–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.12.095
Jacky TYC, Dileep AO, Mirko B (2011b) Application of high pressure processing to improve the functional properties of pale, soft, and exudative (PSE)-like turkey meat. Innov Food Sci Emerg Technol 12:216–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2011.03.004
Jukna V, Klementaviciute E, Peciulaitiene MS, Ambrasunas L (2012) Comparative evaluation of quality and composition of ostrich, turkey and broiler meat. Biotechnol Anim Husb 28:385–392. https://doi.org/10.2298/BAH1202385J
Kissel C, Soares AL, Rossa A, Shimokomaki M (2009) Functional properties of PSE (Pale, Soft, Exudative) broiler meat in the production of mortadella. Braz Arch Biol Technol 52:213–217. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-89132009000700027
Kissel C, Soares AL, Oba A, Shimokomaki M (2015) Electrical water bath stunning of broilers: effects on breast meat quality. J Poult Sci 52(1):74–80. https://doi.org/10.2141/jpsa.0130160
Ludtke C, Ciocca JRP, Dandim T, Barbalho PC, Vilela JA (2010) Abate Humanitário de Aves. WSPA – Sociedade Mundial de Proteção Animal, Rio de Janeiro
Mejri J, Aydi A, Bouriga N, Ali SBS, Abderrabba M, Mejri M (2013) Investigation and modeling of electrical stunning parameters of Turkey using response surface methodology. Int J Biotechnol Wellness Ind 2:29–38. https://doi.org/10.6000/1927-3037.2013.02.01.5
Northcutt JK, Buhr RJ, Young LL (1998) Influence of preslaughter stunning on turkey breast muscle quality. Poult Sci 77:487–492. https://doi.org/10.1093/ps/77.3.487
Olivo R, Soares AL, Ida EI, Shimokomaki M (2001) Dietary vitamin E inhibits poultry PSE and improves meat functional properties. J Food Biochem 25:271–283. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-4514.2001.tb00740
Popova T (2017) Effect of probiotics in poultry for improving meat quality. Curr Opin Food Sci 14:72–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2017.01.008
Roque-Specht VF, Simoni V, Parise N, Cardoso PG (2009) Avaliação da capacidade de retenção de água em peitos de frango em função do pH final. Rev Bras Agrociên 15:1–4
Sabow AB, Nakyinsiged K, Adeyemia KD, Sazilia AQ, Johnsone CB, Websterf J, Faroukf MM (2017) High frequency pre-slaughter electrical stunning in ruminants and poultry for halal meat production: a review. Livest Sci 202:124–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2017.05.021
Schwartzkopf-Genswein KS, Faucitano L, Dadgar S, Shand P, González LA, Crowe TG (2012) Road transport of cattle, swine and poultry in North America and its impact on animal welfare, carcass and meat quality. Meat Sci 92:227–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.04.010
Silva RBTR, Nääs IA, Moura DJ (2009) Broiler and swine production: animal welfare egislation scenario. Sci Agric 66:713–720. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-90162009000600001
Veissier I, Butterworth A, Bock B, Roe E (2008) European approaches to ensure good animal welfare. Appl Anim Behav Sci 113:279–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2008.01.008
Wilkins LJ, Gregory NG, Wotton SB (1999) Effectiveness of different electrical stunning regimens for turkeys and consequences for carcass quality. Br Poult Sci 40:478–484. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071669987232
Xu L, Zhang L, Yue HY, Wu SJ, Zhang HJ, Ji F, Qi GH (2011) The effect of electrical stunning current and frequency on meat quality, plasma parameters, and glycolytic potential in broilers. Poult Sci 90:1823–1830. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps.2010-01249
Acknowledgements
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not for profit sectors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Parteca, S., Tonial, I.B., do Prado, N.V. et al. Electrical stunning parameters: impact on the quality of turkey meat (Meleagris gallopavo). J Food Sci Technol 57, 2612–2618 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-020-04297-6
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-020-04297-6