Effect of postmortem deboning time on sensory descriptive flavor and texture profiles of cooked boneless skinless broiler thighs

Three trials were conducted to investigate the effect of deboning times postmortem on sensory descriptive flavor and texture profiles of cooked boneless skinless chicken thigh muscles (iliotibialis, iliofibularis and the femoritibialis). Broiler carcasses (42-d old birds) were procured from a commercial processing plant. Thighs were hot-boned (about 45 min postmortem), cold-deboned 2 h (2 h) or 24 h (24 h) postmortem. Sensory descriptive tests were performed on cooked meat by 8 trained descriptive panelists using 0-15 universal intensity scale. Our results show that there were no significant differences in average intensity scores of the tested texture and flavor attributes between the hot-boned and 2 h thigh meat. No significant differences for the sensory flavor attributes were found due to three deboning times. However, the intensity scores of 24 h thighs were significantly lower than the hot-boned and 2 h thighs (p < 0.05) for the texture attributes hardness, cohesiveness of mass, bolus size and chewiness. The score of 24 h sample for the texture attribute cohesiveness was significantly lower than 2 h thighs, and did not differ from the hot-boned sample. These results suggest that the earlier deboning postmortem (within 2 h) does not result in the differences in flavor and texture profiles of cooked thigh meat. The time of thigh muscle removal within 24 h postmortem does not influence the flavor profiles of cooked meat; however, it can significantly affect the texture profiles. Cooked, 24-h deboned chicken thighs have different sensory texture properties from either cooked hot-boned or cooked 2-h deboned chicken thighs.

► We studied sensory quality of cooked boneless skinless chicken thighs. ► Postmortem deboning time did not affect flavor characteristics of thighs. ► Postmortem deboning time significantly influenced texture properties of thighs. ► Thighs deboned <2 h were harder and chewier than thighs deboned 24 h postmortem.