Meat color and biochemical characteristics of unacceptable dark-colored broiler chicken carcasses

Spectrocolorimetry, pH, TEARS, total pigment and myoglobin were measured in normal and abnormally dark-colored broiler chicken breast muscle. Analyses of L*, a* and b* values revealed that a* values were highly sensitive and specific to differentiate normal from dark-colored carcasses and thus could be used as a potential diagnostic method for carcass classification at slaughter. Color characteristics (L*, a*, and b* values), pH, total pigment, myoglobin, and iron concentrations were all significantly different in dark-colored muscle when compared with normal muscle. TEARS values and percentage moisture for the two groups were not different.