Characterization of different strains of broiler chicken by carcass measurements, chemical and physical parameters and NIRS on breast muscle.

The aims of the work were: to investigate the effect of chicken strain on chemical composition and colour parameters of fresh breast muscle; to evaluate the results obtained using different illuminants (A, C and F); to verify the possibility of predicting some meat features by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) of freeze-dried breast muscle. The trial was carried out on 39 chicken broilers from three strains, differing in body size, slaughtered at 30 days of age. Fresh breast samples were different only in ash content (P<0.01). Illuminant effect was highly significant for all colour variables, depending on the major wavelength characteristics of each illuminant. Significant differences among strains were detected in redness values. The NIRS technique was very accurate to predict fat content of muscle (R(2)c=0.98, SEC=0.20). These findings may have practical importance to improve instrumental procedures for on-line evaluation of poultry meat quality.