The influence of carcass weight, bird sex, and carcass aging time on meat quality traits of pectoralis major muscles was studied in broiler birds. A total of 800 birds were used. After processing, carcasses were graded into 3 categories: 1,500 to 1,600 g, 1,600 to 1,700 g, and greater than 1,700 g. Forty-two carcasses from broilers of each sex were randomly selected from each carcass weight category. Seven carcasses of broilers from each sex within the same carcass weight category were aged for 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 24 h postchilling. The ADG and FCR increased (P < 0.001) with increasing age. Breast muscle temperature was higher (P < 0.001) for heavier carcasses, whereas bird sex affected (P < 0.05) the carcass temperature at 8 and 24 h postchilling. Water-holding capacity, color, and chemical composition were not affected (P > 0.05) by any of the factors. Cooking loss was affected only by bird sex. Lighter carcasses had a higher (P < 0.001) thawing loss percentage, with breast muscle from males having a higher (P < 0.01) thawing loss percentage than that from females. Thawing loss percentage decreased significantly (P < 0.001) with an increase in aging time. Higher (P < 0.001) shear force values were recorded in breast muscle from heavier carcasses, with breast muscle from females having higher (P < 0.05) shear force values than that from males. Shear force values were higher (P < 0.001) for breast fillets aged for 0 and 2 h. However, a major improvement in tenderness resulted after 4 h of aging, with tenderness being comparable among carcasses of all weights. Carcass weight, bird sex, and postchilling carcass aging duration are critical to breast meat quality characteristics.

Globally, poultry products have been associated with outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of cold storage period, carcass weight, and product form on fresh broiler bacteriology and meat quality parameters. A total of 500 one-day-old broiler birds were raised to market age (28–35 days) before slaughtering. The carcasses were classified into two groups: light weight (approximately 1100 ± 50 g) and heavy weight (approximately 1400 ± 50 g). After 4 h of post-chilling aging, 256 carcasses were randomly selected to represent the two categories. Each category of 128 carcasses was randomly distributed into two groups of 64 carcasses. One group was stored as whole carcasses, while the other group was stored as part-cut deboned breast meat at 4 °C for 1, 3, 5, and 7 days of cold storage (16 samples per storage day). Post-chilling temperature, pH, cooking loss, water holding capacity, and shear force were significantly affected by product form and storage period. Water holding capacity and shear force were also affected by carcass weight (p < 0.001). Meat colors (L*, a*, b*, chroma, and hue values) were significantly affected by the storage period. The L* value was only affected by product form and carcass weight (p < 0.01). Crude protein and ether extract were significantly affected by carcass weight and storage period, while ash was only affected by carcass weight. Aerobic plate count, psychrotrophic count, proteolytic count, lipolytic count, and coliform count were significantly increased with storage time. In conclusion, carcass weight had no impact on overall meat quality, but the meat began to deteriorate and showed an increased spoilage rate after five days of cold storage.