Physical, Chemical and Histological Characterization of Pectoralis major Muscle of Broilers Affected by Wooden Breast Myopathy

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize the effects of wooden breast myopathy (WBM) on quality of broiler chicken breast meat. Normal samples (absence of myopathy), moderate-degree samples (hardness only in one area of the breast fillet) and severe-degree samples (hardness throughout the breast fillet) were classified. In macroscopic analysis, the pectoral muscle affected by the WBM showed, in general, pale color with stiff, irregular and reddish regions (suffusions and petechiae), with the presence of white striations. In microscopic analysis, the myopathy was characterized by loss of the polygonal aspect of the muscle fibers. Samples with moderate degree of the myopathy showed greater (p = 0.0266) water retention capacity. There was an increase (p = 0.004) in total collagen concentration in samples from the severe-degree group 0.29% in normal samples to 0.43 and 0.48% in samples from moderate- and severe-degree groups, respectively. Samples of chicken breast affected by the severe-degree WBM showed lower (p < 0.0001) myofibrillar fragmentation index (64.51) and lower (p = 0.0002) fat concentration (2.17%) than normal chicken samples (80.45 and 3.79%, respectively). Samples affected by WBM are larger and heavier and present poorer physical quality when compared to normal chicken meat. Histologically it is possible to observe loss of the polygonal aspect of muscle fibers.

A survey of broiler breast meat quality in the retail market of Quebec

“…According to our analyses, an increase of 1 mm in fillet thickness or of 1 cm of fillet width was associated with a respective increase of 17% and 37% of the odds for the fillets to develop a myopathy. These results are in line with reports from the literature, which show that increased width and thickness in the cranial part of the pectoralis major muscle were associated with increased likelihood that this muscle would switch from normal to myopathic, and have higher BMM severity scores (Griffin et al 2018;Oliveira et al 2021;Che et al 2022b).…”

Morphological, radiographic, three-dimensional computed tomographic, and histological features of the primary upstroke and downstroke muscles and bones in the domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) and the cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis, Linnaeus, 1758), reflecting the evolutionary transition towards the irreversible flightlessness

“…In broiler chickens, myofibers of muscle pectoralis contain perimysium consisting of dense connective tissue that collects muscle fibers in bundles (fascicles) [ 52 ]. In our work, we found that the pectoral muscle bundles of domestic ducks were surrounded by perimysium and endomysium which consisted of less dense connective tissue relative to cattle egrets.…”

Effect of freezing on the quality of breast meat from broilers affected by wooden breast myopathy

“…Injuries such as the wooden breast condition bring potential disadvantages to consumer acceptance and purchase intent of poultry meat. Wooden breast myopathy is characterized by accentuated hardness on palpation of the breast, production of mucous exudate, petechiae, and white stripes, as well as areas with separate muscle bundles, particularly within the deep layers of the muscle ( Oliveira et al, 2021b ). Those injuries not only negatively affect the visual characteristics of the breast but also decrease the yield of the product during processing, which also results in economic loss.…”