Volatile components in the breast muscles of chickens of different ages

Thirty‐eight volatile components have been found, of which 27 have been tentatively identified in the breast muscles of Arbor Acre broiler hybrids between the ages of 3 and 18 weeks. The study has been qualitative but, because standardised conditions of sampling and analysis have been used throughout, comparison between samples from different age groups is practicable.

For convenience in comparing the profiles of different age groups, but without implying any special organoleptic significance, the volatile components have been divided into 3 classes on the basis of their contribution to the total area of the chromatogram. Six large peaks together accounted for 82.5 per cent of this area in samples from 3‐week‐old birds, a second group of 6 smaller peaks accounted for 11.8 per cent, and 14 trace components made up the remainder. This pattern was typical of all but 2 of the age groups: at 9 weeks there were only 5 trace components instead of 13 or 14, and at 18 weeks the 14 components accounted for 17 per cent of the total chromatogram area instead of 2.6 to 7.0 per cent.

The possible organoleptic significance of the results has been briefly discussed.