ABSTRACT
This study aimed to assess the impact of various conservation methods on water uptake, nutritional, and microbiological content in intact or cut carcasses from broiler managed to Amazon environmental conditions. The experiment involved 48 carcasses, employing a randomized block design with a factorial scheme (2x3) based on carcass processing (intact or cut) and conservation methods (freezing, on ice, or chilling). Chilled storage led to significantly higher (p<0.05) water uptake, particularly in the short term, without adversely affecting nutritional content. Freezing yielded lower (p<0.05) water uptake, with greater (p<0.05) nutritional content, while on-ice storage exhibited satisfactory nutritional content but higher microbiological contamination. Cut carcasses displayed higher (p<0.05) short-term water uptake without detrimental effects (p<0.05) on nutrition and microbiology. Conversely, intact carcasses exhibited lower (p<0.05) water uptake in the short and long term, slightly diminished (p<0.05) nutritional content, and increased (p<0.05) microbiological contamination.
Keywords:
Amazon; broilers; carcass traits; meat conservation; poultry