EN
The objective of the study was to determine the level of post mortem intact desmin and compare the intact desmin with physico-chemical properties of poultry breast muscle during 168 hours cool storage at +4°C. The research was conducted on 6 40-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens slaughtered at a similar body weight. Muscle samples were taken immediately after slaughter of animals (15 min) and on 24, 96 and 168 hours after slaughter. The post mortem intact desmin and degradation products were determined using SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. The following technological parameters of meat were also determined: pH, colour L*a*b*, drip loss, thermal loss, free water, and shear force. The current findings indicate that the fastest rate of desmin degradation and the greatest changes in the physico-chemical properties of meat occurred within the first 24 h of storage. Longer storage of meat had no effect on meat quality traits except drip loss. Moreover, our results indicate that levels of intact desmin positively related with drip loss values and negatively with pH and shear force.