Investigation of physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory properties for organic and conventional chicken meat supplied from the market

In this study, the commercially available chicken thigh and breast meat produced by organic and conventional methods have been examined in terms of physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory properties. Moisture content of conventional chicken meat was higher than organic chicken meat. It was found that the organic chicken breast meat had a higher fat content than the conventional chicken breast meat. The protein content of organic thigh meats was higher than in conventional thigh meats. It has been found that organic chicken meat contains more mineral substances than conventional chicken meat and has higher pH value, cooking loss and water holding capacity. Color analysis of raw samples showed that, organic chicken meat was darker, reder and yellower than conventional chicken meat. Alpha-linoleic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were found to be higher in organic chicken meat than in conventional chicken meat. As a result of the Warner Bratzler Shear Force analysis, the chicken that were bred by organic methods were found to be harder than the chicken bred conventionally. The total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria of conventional and organic thigh meat were 6.60 log cfu / g and 6.98 log cfu / g, respectively. The total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria of conventional and organic breast meat were 6.56 log cfu / g and 7.13 log cfu / g, respectively. The total number of coliform bacteria in conventional and organic thigh meat was 3.58 log cfu / g and 3.78 log cfu / g, respectively. Total coliform bacteria numbers of breast meat were 4.18 log cfu / g and 4.15 log cfu / g respectively. The number of yeast-mold in the thigh meat was 3.58 log cfu / g, 3.78 log cfu / g, respectively, and the yeast-mold numbers of the breast meats were 4.18 log cfu / g, 4.15 log cfu / g respectively. Salmonella spp. was detected in all (%100) conventional breasts and thigh meats, and in 66.66% of organic thigh and breasts. In the sensory evaluation of the chicken samples by the panelists, the conventional chicken meat in terms of appearance, odor, taste, juiciness, texture and overall acceptence characteristics were more popular than the chicken meat produced by organic methods.