ZDHE.htm

NR ZDHE

AU van Nieuwelaar,J.; Hoen,T.

TI Influence of controlled atmosphere stunning of broilers followed by maturation chilling on the meat quality of the carcass

QU Proceedings Symposium 'Alternative stunning methods for poultry', Utrecht, Niederlande, 18.-21. November 1997

PT Proceedings

AB For more than 20 years Stork PMT has carried out a lot of research into stunning and killing of poultry with electrical and mechanical methods and by applying gas mixtures. For the past three years research has been carried out under the European umbrellas (the AIR project and the EUREKA Volair project) together with the ID-DLO Lelystad in the Netherlands, the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and BOC Gases Ltd. This research programme involved tests on broiler stunning or killing with various gas mixtures. The effect on meat quality was studied in both projects as well as the use of gas as a humane way of stunning and killing broilers. In the Volair project the study of meat quality was based on tenderness tests conducted on the Shear-force principle, meat colour and moisture losses. The percentage of blood loss in bleeding and haemorrhages in relation to the gas mixtures were measured.. The effect of Controlled Atmosphere Stunning on the behaviour of the broilers was studied as well as the plucking characteristics (determining the feather release force). In the AIR project the behaviour of the birds in combination with the onset of convulsions, EEG, and somatosensory evoked potentials were studied in relation to the humaneness of gas killing. A mixture of carbon dioxide and increased oxygen (prevention of hypoxia) or anoxia generated through argon in air or hypercapnic anoxia generated through a mixture of argon and carbon dioxide in air seems to be very promising. The tests of the Volair project revealed that meat tenderness and moisture losses will improve. The haemorrhages, especially those on the breast fillets and tenderloins caused by electrical stunning and hanging, disappear altoghether. From a technological point of view, broiler stunning and killing in a controlled gas atmosphere is considered to be a more optimal process. However, successful introduction of the process requires legislative changes and poultry processors must be made aware of its economic benefits.

SP englisch

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