HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES IN CHICKEN AFTER FREEZING AT - 20°C AND - 40°C

Document Type : Research article

Authors

Abstract

Fiber diameters of breast (Pectoralis Sup < /em>erficials), thigh (Glutaeus sup < /em>erficials) and drumstick (Gastro cnemius) muscles of cobb chicken (8 weeks age) were shorted with decreasing the temperature, whereas, they were shorted at -40 C more than at-20C, while, sarcomere lengths were increased after freezing of chicken muscles under investigation at -40 C more than at -20 °C. Concerning hardness factor (H.F.), it was decreased, while tendreness factor (T.F.) was increased after freezing at -40 C more than at -20 °C. Histological changes, including nodes, internodes, fissures, waves, splitting within fiber, kinks, kracks and spaces between bundles were increased in freezing method at-40 C more than at -20 °C. On the other hand, size and shape of bundles and collagenous flbers were decreased in freezing the examined muscle samples at -40 °C rather than at -20

Keywords