This document specifies a procedure that can be used to determine the HADH activity in poultry meat samples by spectrophotometry. The results can provide an indication whether poultry breast meat has been previously frozen based on the ratio of relative HADH activity, and can be used to verify the labelling of poultry breast meat sold as chilled poultry. When meat is frozen and thawed, the muscle mitochondria are damaged and the HADH enzyme is released into the intracellular fluid. The relative increase in a result above a value of 0,5 for the amount ratio of HADH found in fluid pressed activity from a sample before and after laboratory freezing can be used to indicate whether it freezing, indicates that the sample has been previously frozen. The HADH activity is determined using a spectrophotometric procedure.
This protocol document is applicable specifically to chicken and turkey breast meat but can be used for other cuts and/or species with appropriate limit values. Additional validation can be required.
The method document is not applicable to minced meat or to poultry preparations.
The compliance assessment process is not part of this document.
