Software-based bone particle analysis in processed poultry meat for the production of meat products of the category “top quality”
The aim of the current paper was to develop a software-based bone particle analysis that can fulfill the high requirements in terms of sensitivity and specificity that are necessary in order to evaluate the suitability of raw poultry processing meat in the production of „top quality“ products.
For this purpose, the three most common histological bone staining methods described in the official collection of examination methods according to § 64 LFGB were compared. The Pfeiffer, Wellhäuser and Gehra staining and the silver nitrate impregnation quickly turned out to be the most promising, while the Calleja staining was eliminated due to its lack of specificity. The properties and suitability of the two first stains were checked against each other in various tests. This also included the suitability for software-based bone particle analysis. The results showed clear advantages of silver nitrate impregnation compared to the Pfeiffer, Wellhauser and Gehra staining. Thus, silver nitrate impregnation was used for assessing the raw poultry processing meat. In addition, the silver nitrate impregnation was supplemented by a calcium determination and a full analysis was routinely carried out by means of near-infrared spectroscopy.
Various factors influencing the quality of mechanically processed meat were examined below. This included the determination of the variability between different companies within a working week as well as the influence of different raw materials in the form of different carcass parts. Included were furculae, backs, shoulders, drumsticks, trimmings, sterni as well as the first wing segment and the middle wing. In addition, the influence of different contact pressures was examined and the processed meat of broilers was compared with that of female and male turkeys. Results partially showed large differences in terms of the number and content of bone particles as well as calcium content. Even during a working week in one company, there were strong fluctuations between single days. Together with the other results, this led to the assumption that the raw material used poses the greatest influencing factor. In the following, the various raw material categories were specifically examined and their quality was assessed based on the examined parameters. The results were then compared to the “top quality” category, for the definition of which the guidelines for meat and meat products and the guidelines of the Federal Association of Poultry Slaughterhouses were used.
All results determined by bone particle counting, bone particle area and calcium determination, as well as the values of the full analysis are a strong indication for a raw material quality, which makes it possible to use it in products of the category „top quality“. In addition, it could be shown that there is a significant difference between mechanically processed and mechanically separated meat.
Tim Julian Fechner
Geflügelfleisch Histologie Kalzium Knochen Lebensmittelhygiene Lebensmittelproduktion Lebensmittelqualität Lebensmittelsicherheit Lebensmittelzusammensetzung bones calcium food composition food hygiene food production food quality