Hydrodynamic shockwave tenderization effects using a cylinder processor on early deboned broiler breasts

In separate experiments, chicken broiler breasts were deboned (45 min postmortem, 52 min, respectively) and either exposed to high pressure hydrodynamic shockwaves (HSW) 25 min after deboning (77 min postmortem) or after 24 h of storage (4 degreesC) respectively, and compared to companion control breasts. HSW were produced in a cylindrical HSW processor with 40-g explosive. Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) values of the HSW breasts treated at 77 min postmortem were not different than the controls. HSW treatment decreased (P<0.05) the WBS values of the stored and cooked breasts by 42.0% as compared to non-treated controls. Cooking losses were not affected by HSW. In general, raw and cooked color characteristics (CIE L*a*b*) were not affected by the HSW. HSW treatment at 25 min after deboning (77 min postmortem) may require a higher pressure front or delayed treatment after postmortem aging to improve tenderness. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.