Emily Carter
The colour of chicken meat varies from white to dark, and this is due to different types of muscle. The darker colour comes from slow oxidative muscle fibres, which are used for sustained activity by active muscles such as those in the legs and thighs. These muscles have a rich supply of oxygen and generate low levels of force over long periods of time. They contain high levels of a protein called myoglobin, which helps with oxygen transport from the blood. Myoglobin is an iron-rich, red-pigmented protein that, when cooked, turns into metmyoglobin, giving dark meat its colour. White meat, on the other hand, comes from muscles that metabolize energy with less oxygen, so they have less myoglobin and are lighter in colour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for dark color in chicken | Dark meat is a result of the predominant presence of slow oxidative muscle fibers used for sustained activity by active muscles such as those found in the legs and thighs. |
| These muscles have a continuous rich supply of oxygen and generate low levels of force over long periods of time. | |
| They contain high levels of a protein called myoglobin that helps facilitate oxygen transport from the blood. | |
| This iron-rich, red-pigmented protein, when cooked, turns into metmyoglobin and is what gives dark meat its color. | |
| In young chickens (6-8 weeks), the darkening of bones and meat around the bones occurs due to pigment from the bone marrow seeping through the bones. | |
| Four breeds of chicken, including Ayam Cemani, possess a genetic mutation resulting in black feathers, beak, comb, tongue, toes, and bones. |
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What You'll Learn
Dark meat comes from muscles that use more oxygen
The colour of meat is influenced by several factors, including the animal's age, species, sex, diet, and exercise. Specifically, the dark colour of meat comes from the presence of myoglobin, an iron-rich, red-pigmented protein. Myoglobin facilitates oxygen transport from the blood to the muscles. When cooked, myoglobin turns into metmyoglobin, giving dark meat its colour.
In contrast, white meat comes from muscles that metabolize energy with less oxygen and have lower myoglobin levels, resulting in a lighter colour. These muscles are found in the chicken breast and wings and are used for short bursts of energy, like flapping their wings.
The colour difference between dark and white meat is also observed in other animals, such as cows, pigs, and ostriches, although the difference is less noticeable as all their meat is red due to higher myoglobin levels.
It is important to note that the darkening of bones and meat in young chickens (6-8 weeks old) is due to the seeping of pigment from bone marrow, and this is an aesthetic issue that does not affect food safety. Additionally, some chicken breeds, like the Ayam Cemani, possess a genetic mutation that results in hyperpigmentation, giving their meat a blue-black colour.
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Myoglobin gives dark meat its colour
The colour of meat is influenced by several factors, including the age of the animal, species, sex, diet, and exercise. Meat from older animals is darker because myoglobin levels increase with age. Exercised muscles are also darker, which means that the same animal can have colour variations in its muscles.
Myoglobin is an iron-rich, red-pigmented protein that facilitates oxygen transport from the blood to the muscles. When cooked, myoglobin turns into metmyoglobin, giving dark meat its colour. Dark meat chicken contains high levels of myoglobin, which is why it is darker than white meat.
Dark meat chicken contains slow oxidative muscle fibres used for sustained activity, such as in the legs and thighs. These fibres have a continuous rich supply of oxygen and generate low levels of force over long periods. Conversely, white meat chicken contains fast glycolytic muscle fibres mainly found in the breast and other muscle regions that are not used as actively. These muscle fibres lack myoglobin but can generate a large force over a short time span.
The dark meat cuts of a chicken include the drumsticks and thighs, which are used for holding the animal up and walking and require sustained periods of activity. White meat cuts, on the other hand, include the breast and wings, which are required for short bursts of energy, such as flapping wings.
The colour of meat and poultry can change during storage due to chemical reactions. For example, when exposed to oxygen, myoglobin forms oxymyoglobin, giving meat a cherry-red colour. However, continued exposure to oxygen leads to the formation of metmyoglobin, turning meat brownish-red. Similarly, oven gases in a heated oven react with haemoglobin in the meat tissues to give them a pink tinge.
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Melanoblasts cause hyperpigmentation in some chickens
The colour of meat and poultry is influenced by various factors, including the age of the animal, species, sex, diet, and exercise. Darker meat is a result of the predominant presence of slow oxidative muscle fibres used for sustained activity, such as in the legs and thighs. These muscles have a continuous rich supply of oxygen and produce low levels of force over long periods. They contain high levels of a protein called myoglobin that helps facilitate oxygen transport from the blood. Myoglobin is an iron-rich, red-pigmented protein that, when cooked, turns into metmyoglobin, giving dark meat its colour.
However, some chickens exhibit dermal hyperpigmentation, resulting in blue-black bones, organs, and meat. This condition, known as fibromelanosis, is caused by a genetic mutation that affects the expression of EDN3, a gene that triggers the migration of melanoblasts or pigment cells. In hyperpigmented chickens, such as the Ayam Cemani, Silkie, black H'Mong, and Svarthöna breeds, most of the body's cells express EDN3, resulting in up to ten times the normal number of melanoblasts. This leads to the distinctive dark coloration observed in these chickens.
During a chicken's development, certain cells, particularly those in the skin and feather follicles, express EDN3, triggering the migration of melanoblasts and contributing to their typical colouration. However, in hyperpigmented chickens, the excessive expression of EDN3 causes a mis-migration of pigment cells, resulting in their unique black appearance. This genetic rearrangement does not seem to have any negative health effects on the birds and has even increased their value among breeders and gourmands.
The dark colour observed in hyperpigmented chickens is not solely due to the increased number of melanoblasts but also the distribution of these pigment cells. In normal chickens, melanoblasts are primarily concentrated in specific areas, such as the skin and feather follicles. However, in hyperpigmented chickens, melanoblasts are more widespread throughout the body, resulting in the distinctive black colouration of their bones, organs, and meat.
While the dark colouration of hyperpigmented chickens may be aesthetically unusual, it does not impact the safety or edibility of the meat. The meat of these chickens is safe for consumption, just like that of their normally coloured counterparts, as long as it reaches a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
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Meat colour is influenced by age, species, sex, diet, and exercise
The colour of meat is influenced by a variety of factors, including age, species, sex, diet, and exercise.
Firstly, the age of the animal affects meat colour. Older animals tend to have higher levels of myoglobin, resulting in darker meat. Younger animals have lower myoglobin levels, leading to paler meat. For example, veal, which comes from young cattle, is lighter in colour than mature beef. Similarly, the darkening of meat around the bones in young chickens occurs due to pigment seepage from non-calcified bone marrow.
Secondly, species play a significant role in meat colour. Different species have varying myoglobin levels in their muscles, with beef having higher myoglobin content than poultry, resulting in redder meat. The metabolic needs and muscle usage patterns of the species influence its myoglobin content. For instance, birds that fly long distances, like ducks and geese, have darker meat in all their muscles, while short-burst fliers like chickens and turkeys have darker meat only in their legs.
Sex also influences meat colour, with intact males of some species having higher myoglobin levels than females or castrated males of the same age.
Diet can impact meat colour, particularly in young cattle. Calves fed primarily milk products have lighter-coloured flesh, while those consuming grass have darker flesh.
Lastly, exercise affects meat colour. Exercised muscles have higher myoglobin levels and are darker in colour. This can result in colour variations within the same animal, with muscles used for movement appearing darker than those used for support.
In summary, the interplay of these factors—age, species, sex, diet, and exercise—influences meat colour, particularly through their impact on myoglobin levels and muscle usage, ultimately affecting consumer perception and purchasing decisions.
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Dark meat has a stronger flavour and is juicier
The colour of meat is influenced by factors such as the age of the animal, species, sex, diet, and exercise. The dark colour of meat comes from a protein called myoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen to muscles. Myoglobin contains iron, which gives meat its red colour. When cooked, myoglobin turns into metmyoglobin, which gives dark meat its colour.
Dark meat in chicken comes from muscle groups that are used for sustained activity, such as the legs and thighs. These muscle fibres have a rich supply of oxygen and generate low levels of force over long periods of time. They contain high levels of myoglobin, which facilitates oxygen transport from the blood.
White meat, on the other hand, comes from muscle groups that are not used as actively, such as the breast and wings. These muscle fibres lack myoglobin but are capable of generating large forces over a short period of time.
It is important to note that the colour of meat is not always an accurate indicator of its freshness. Meat that has been safely stored in the refrigerator or freezer may still undergo colour changes, and this does not necessarily mean that the meat is spoiled.
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Frequently asked questions
The colour difference between chicken breasts and thighs is due to different types of muscle. Breasts are fast glycolytic muscle fibres, while thighs are slow oxidative muscle fibres.
The dark colour in chicken is due to the presence of myoglobin, a protein that facilitates oxygen transport from the blood. Myoglobin is iron-rich and has a red pigment. When cooked, it turns into metmyoglobin, which gives dark meat its colour.
Yes, there are four breeds of chicken that have black insides and a genetic mutation called fibromelanosis. The Ayam cemani chicken, found in Indonesia, is the most deeply pigmented, with blue-black feathers, beak, comb, tongue, and toes.
Yes, it is safe to eat chicken with some pink colour as long as all parts have reached an internal temperature of 165 °F. The pink colour can be due to the chicken's diet, the oven gases reacting with hemoglobin in the meat, or the presence of nitrates and nitrites used as preservatives.
