Influence of Different Thawing Methods on Physico-chemical and Microbiological Characteristics of Broiler Chicken Meat

A good thawing of broiler meat is one that minimizes process time and microbial growth risk. Hence, the present study was carried out to investigate the influence of physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of broiler chicken meat and leg samples by different thawing methods. The thawing methods like room temperature, running tap water, refrigerator and microwave oven thawing were selected and studied. The various thawing methods didn’t influence the drip loss per cent, pH value of broiler breast and leg meat samples. The water holding capacity has been slightly increased corresponding with earlier research reports. Further, the water activity of broiler breast was little higher as compared to leg meat in microwave oven thawing than the others methods. The physical properties of toughness and firmness of broiler breast and leg meat has been meagerly influenced with respect to thawing methods. The total viable count of microwave oven thawed meat samples had less count than the other methods. E. coli and Salmonella species were not noticed in the broiler meat samples during the entire period of the experiment.