PROTEOLYSIS AND AMINO-ACID BREAKDOWN OF HEATED AND IRRADIATED POULTRYBY-PRODUCTS AND MUSCLE-TISSUE

As a result of intensification and centralization of poultry slaughter ing, the amount of slaughter byproducts produced at a single location is increasing. These byproducts are rich in protein, fat, and vitamins and, therefore, constitute a potentially useful raw material for use as animal feed. To maintain the nutritive value of these byproducts th ey should be processed to minimize or eliminate degenerative changes t hat reduce the feed value of the product. In this paper amino acid bre akdown in slaughter-fresh poultry viscera, heads, and breast meat is s tudied as a model. Initial amino acid breakdown in viscera was observe d (also when bacterial growth was excluded by gamma-irradiation), whic h resulted in high levels of total volatile N and cadaverine. Putresci ne was produced only in viscera after bacterial proliferation. In head s and breast meat, no production of metabolites of amino acid degradat ion was observed as a result of initial enzymatic activity. It is conc luded that during preservation of poultry byproducts not only bacteria l proliferation, but also enzymatic breakdown of amino acids, must be prevented.