Age related changes in poultry breast meat collagen pyridinoline and texture

Pyridinoline (PYR), a mature collagen crosslink, was measured in Ross hen breast meat, Pectoralis major, age ranging from 20 to 540 days and its concentration varied between 0.009 to 0.101 mol/mol collagen, respectively. PYR concentration was inversely related to collagen solubility in muscle homogenates (P < 0.05) and total collagen content increased from 0.448 to 0.568% from 20 to 540 days, respectively. Shear values analyzed by texturometer showed a direct relationship between PYR amount with advancing poultry aging irrespective of collagen quantity (P < 0.05). Finally, there was also a direct relationship between the increase of PYR concentration and collagen solubility measured in Ringer solution.