Report by the Analytical Methods Committee. Nitrogen factors for chicken meat

Recent studies have raised doubts about the relevance of the nitrogen facto rs for chicken meat recommended by the Analytical Methods Committee in 1963 when applied to the chicken meat currently being processed. The Nitrogen F actors Sub-Committee was asked to carry out a reappraisal of the chemical c omposition of chicken meat. It was informed that the majority of meat produ ced in the UK came from either of the breeds Ross or Cobb and one or other of the categories broilers (male or female, killed at 5 weeks), heavy broil ers (male, killed at 7/8 weeks) and hens. Selected birds from these categor ies were dissected into samples representing breast, leg, thigh, other meat s and skin and these were analysed for fat, moisture, nitrogen, ash and hyd roxyproline content. The separate results for breast, leg, thigh, skin and other meats were combined mathematically to give figures for whole birds. F rom these results it was possible to recommend nitrogen factors for the ind ividual joints and for the entire carcases, with and without skin, for broi lers and hens. These factors are lower than those recommended in 1963.