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INTRODUCTION THE further processing of ready-to-cook turkeys is rapidly expanding, resulting in the need for more specific information on the yield of parts. Since previous work has indicated that yield of parts may differ between strains, it is possible that processors may soon be selecting turkeys by strain for further processsing and whole bird merchandising. Another problem that exists in the further processing field is that roll composition is not definitely established. Therefore, formulae for predicting composition of turkey rolls of different sizes would be of considerable value to the industry as a whole. A review by Fry et al. (1962) indicated the wide variation in yield of parts reported in earlier papers was due to differences in procedure in cutting and in methods of calculating percentages. Fry et al. (1962) determined yield of parts from turkeys of different commercial strains and reported average breast yields of 32.5% for males …

INTRODUCTION DOWNGRADING of commercial broilers due to bruising in the past 15 years has become a factor of great concern to all phases of the industry from grower to consumer. A recent review article referred to bruising of commercial broilers as the “black spot” of the broiler production cycle (Cobb International, 1967). Kaiser and Smith (1958) estimated that Delaware processors alone, lost over one and a quarter million dollars due to downgrading caused by bruising. This estimate was based on a conservative figure of only 6.75 percent downgrading due to bruising. This is only one third of the average amount that is presently occurring. May (1961) reported that a Georgia poultry processing plant processing approximately 10,000 birds per hour was losing $900 per day from birds downgraded because of bruises. A 1963 survey of Delmarva poultry processors indicated that the average plant lost about $1,500 per week due to bruising . . .

INTRODUCTION LARGE scale processing of ready-to-cook, whole turkeys into turkey rolls and other convenient forms is developing rapidly. Providing convenient foods is a way to increase per capita consumption of turkey and offers lower transportation costs, less storage space, shorter cooking time, and better portion control. Turkey rolls are available in most areas either raw frozen or pre-cooked. Turkey rolls also may be prepared from ready-to-cook, whole turkeys. For turkey rolls to be acceptable, they must be competitively priced and be satisfactory in organoleptic qualities. Palatability of roasted light meat turkey rolls was reported by Augustine et al. (1962) as similar to roasted whole turkeys. In a study of end point temperature and oven temperatures (250°, 300° and 350°F.) Marquess et al. (1963) found that cooking losses of light meat rolls dry roasted to either 176° or 185°F. increased with increasing end point temperature and oven temperature. Cooking time of…

INTRODUCTION THE marketing of ready-to-cook poultry became import ant during the 1930's and rapid expansion began during the 1940's. Today, ready-to-cook poultry is available throughout the country because of the advancements in the highly commercialized operation of killing, dressing, eviscerating, grading, packaging and rapid transportation of the meat to distant markets. The U. S. Standards of quality and grades for poultry are used extensively for trading purposes. Many retail distributors require that all ready-to-cook poultry be identified with an official grade. Ready-to-cook poultry eligible for grading must pass inspection for wholesomeness. Grading of dressed, ready-to-cook poultry may be performed in accordance with specifications of an individual firm, or by industry agreement under State or Federal regulations. The basic reason for grading is to classify the products according to economic value. One of the factors that reduces the economic value of a bird is the incidence of bruising. In a survey . . .

INTRODUCTION TURKEY production in the United States has increased from 35 million in 1939 to over 80 million in 1963, with an annual per capita consumption exceeding 7 lbs. More efficient management practices and more efficient turkeys have made the increase possible. The size of the birds is considered a deterrent to further marketing increases. Small families prefer smaller portions for economical storage and use. Institutions, although serving roast turkey a large part of the year, need greater variety in serving methods. Large scale processing of these birds into boneless turkey rolls, turkey parts, and turkey steaks that could retail at competitive prices should provide a welcome service to homemaker and institutional users alike. The preparation of turkey steaks has been described by Beanblossom (1948), Smith (1948), Klose et al. (1950), and other workers interested in turkey marketing. The sale of turkey steaks has been widely advocated, especially in the…

FRESH whole broiler chickens are usually packaged at the retail level in clear, loose fitting transparent bags. The birds packaged in this manner are stretched out, awkward, and unappealing. A large amount of pink drip, commonly found sloshing in the bag, contributes to the unsightliness of the package. Some merchandisers try to improve the appearance of their product by butterballing the bird and packaging it in a heat-shrinkable twist wrap or shrinkable bag. A recent National Broiler Council survey (Anonymous, 1965) indicated that housewives would willingly pay as much as two cents a pound more for a better packaged bird. This study was carried out to determine whether fresh poultry exhibited any objectionable appearance, changes in shelf life or differences in drip loss as a result of packaging in evacuated, heat-shrunk bags. PROCEDURE The chickens for this study were processed in a commercial poultry processing plant and were held under …

THE inclusion of giblets in packaged, ready-to-cook poultry has been accepted by the consumer for many years. These parts which constitute approximately ten percent of the eviscerated bird are usually placed in a separate package inside the whole bird or under the legs and breast in cut-up poultry. It has long been speculated what influence these parts have on the quality of packaged poultry. May et al. (1962) reported giblet tissues to have a shorter shelf life than muscle tissue. Kotula et al. (1960) found that birds chilled with the neck on, picked up greater amounts of moisture than those with the necks removed, however, after normal handling and shipping this difference became negligible. It would thus appear that the neck contributed disproportionate share of total drip from fresh packed poultry. A recent survey revealed that the presence or absence of giblets from fresh packed poultry would have little influence . . .

The A.O.A.C. (1960) method for determining solids content of liquid albumen is: weigh accurately a 5.0 gm. (ca) sample of liquid albumen into a previously weighed covered dish, place on steam bath for one hour, replace cover loosely, and complete drying in a vacuum oven to a constant weight (ca 5 hrs.) at 98–100°C.; cool in desiccator, weigh, and calculate as percent solids. A second method proposed and used by The Institute of American Poultry Industries is: weigh sample as in previous method into a covered aluminum dish 2″ in diameter and ⅞″ in depth. Remove cover, place dish in atomospheric thermostatically controlled oven at 105–107°C. overnight. Cool in desiccator, weigh and calculate percent solids. Neither of the above methods makes any provision for easy removal of the dried albumen from the aluminum dish after completion of the determination of solids. Dried liquid yolk, because of the fat…

Wilson et al. (1964) reported finding only four blood spots in a total of 1709 eggs broken from three groups of Coturnix quail. This incidence of only 0.23 percent would appear to be low, although the incidence of blood spots may logically be assumed to vary between species and strains. This experiment was designed to further determine the incidence of blood spots in another strain of Coturnix coturnix japonica which were kept in cages. PROCEDURE The eggs used in this study were produced by a strain of Coturnix, which was established by selection from a two-way strain cross base. The original parental strains were obtained from Beltsville and Auburn stocks of quail, and the birds used in this study represented the F3 generation of selection for growth rate from two to four weeks of age. The stock used to produce eggs for this study were maintained in individual wire cages …