Comparison between Standardized and Modified EZ-DripLoss Determination Methods in Chicken Breast Meat

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The quality of fresh meat largely relates to water-holding capacity (WHC) which is an important attribute associated with consumer acceptance and food-processing technology. Regarding this, the industry requires methods that can easily, with a great precision, determine the WHC of meat and meat products. The EZ-DripLoss method is relatively new gravimetric method that is used for determination of excessive drip in meat. Currently, there is diversity in the literature regarding the use of EZ-DripLoss methodology. Therefore, this technical note aimed to research drip loss in chicken breast meat measured across the period of three days using two different EZ-DripLoss methodologies. In the standardized EZ-DripLoss method, drip loss is calculated by weighing specialized EZ containers, whereas in the modified EZ-DripLoss method drip loss is calculated by weighing samples. This technical note indicates that different EZ-DripLoss methodology results in different drip loss values in chicken breast meat. Therefore, comparisons of the EZ-DripLoss results should be performed with great caution. ABSTRACT: The EZ-DripLoss method is relatively new gravimetric method that is used for the determination of excessive drip in meat. The literature reports diversity regarding the use of EZ-DripLoss methodology. In the standardized EZ-DripLoss method, drip loss is calculated as the change in the container weight, whereas in the modified EZ-DripLoss method, it is calculated as the change in sample weight. This technical note aimed to research the relationship between these two methods on chicken breast meat (40 broilers from the line Ross 308) during the measurement interval of 24, 48, and 72 h. The results showed statistically a significant positive linear increase in drip loss values regardless of the used method during all of the investigated measurement intervals. At 24, 48, and 72 h of storage, the average drip loss in the weighed samples was 0.77, 1.40, and 2.23 percentage points greater than in the not weighed samples (p < 0.0001), respectively. A strong and positive estimate of correlation coefficients between the drip loss of weighed and not weighed samples was found after 24 h (r = 0.95), 48 h (r = 0.92), and 72 h (r = 0.86). This technical report indicates that the used EZ-DripLoss methodology highly influences the drip loss in chicken breast meat and the comparisons of the EZ-DripLoss results should be performed with great caution.