POULTRY PROCESSING TECH QUALITY CONTROL Research is providing processors with insight to help detect woody breast in chicken BY B E R N A R D S H I R E | m e a t p o u l t r y @ s o s l a n d.c o m W 30 MEAT+ POULTRY | 11.19 | www.meatpoultry.com meat stemming from a muscle abnormality. It's been found in a small percentage of chicken meat in the United States. It does not create any food safety or health concerns for the people who eat the chicken, and the welfare of the chicken itself is not negatively impacted by the condition. But the condition causes chicken breast meat to be "hard" to the touch, and often pale in color with poor quality texture, which can be a turnoff to customers. Photos: Paul Hollis, Auburn Univ. Auburn Univ. researchers have found a way to detect woody breast in chicken fillets. ith chicken occupying a top position in protein meals for Americans, Canadians, and others - the average consumer in the United States eats about 95 lbs. of chicken a year -- a great priority for the industry is to make sure there are no threats or problems. One persistent problem the industry has been dealing with for several years is woody breast syndrome. Woody breast is a quality issue in chickenhttp://www.meatpoultry.com