Colour measurements as a method for the estimation of certain chicken meat quality indicators

The research work presents an attempt at determining relations between the colour of breast and thigh muscles in broiler chicken, measured by objective methods (reflex and digital image analysis) and chosen indicators of their technological value. The results obtained indicate that the protein content in meat is significantly related to colour lightness of mature meat, measured by the reflex method (L*) and to component G, determined by way of digital image analysis (DIA). Relations were also observed between colour lightness and both pH and the water holding ability of mature meat and between b* value (reflex method) and B (DIA method) ant the total content of hem pigments. This indicates the possibility of using those measurements for the estimation of certain indicators of chicken meat quality.