The colour of poultry meat: understanding, measuring and maintaining product quality

Abstract

The colour of poultry meat is often the first thing used by consumers to assess meat quality, and so it plays a vital role in purchasing decisions. This chapter begins by reviewing the fundamentals of meat pigments, including the chemistry of haem pigments. It then considers the colours of fresh, cooked, cured and irradiated poultry meat, reviews the mechanisms of discolouration in poultry meat and discusses how discolouration can be prevented. Finally, methods for objective colour measurement of meat products are reviewed.