What Is the Best Way to Measure the Color of Poultry?

When someone mentions raw poultry, there's a good chance everyone pictures the same thing. Unlike red meats, poultry has a uniform look, which makes it easier for buyers to tell when a display is past its prime and they should buy something else.

Even though chicken and other poultry meats have a generally uniform hue, distributors need to pay close attention to poultry color to ensure their products stay consistent and people continue to love what they deliver.

What Color Is Poultry?

What exactly gives poultry that pale pink color it's known for? Like other meats, reddish and pink hues come from oxygen interacting with the meat's myoglobin, a natural compound that stimulates muscles. This same feature creates distinctions between white meat and dark meat — there is a higher concentration of myoglobin in poultry legs and thighs since these constitute the muscles birds use most often.

During cooking, poultry will occasionally darken or keep part of its pinkish hue. Both of these reactions are normal and will not affect flavor or healthiness, so long as the meat is cooked to at least 165°F. Changes in coloration to look out for include dullish hues, especially if they have gray or green undertones, and sliminess that does not go away with rinsing.

Why Does Poultry Color Need Measuring?

While most people know with a glance whether a package of poultry is good to buy, color has played an important role in this knowledge and continues to do so. If the poultry color looks off to someone, they likely won't buy it, instead moving to a competitor brand that caters more to their expectations. However, since color is subjective based on the person perceiving it, using color measurement tools like spectrophotometers has become common practice for many food manufacturers.

Use Effective Tools for Poultry Color Measurement

Spectrophotometers constitute the gold standard for poultry color measurement. At HunterLab, we've focused on developing color measurement equipment for all manner of food and drink. For poultry, we've introduced the MiniScan EZ 4500 to poultry distributors everywhere. This portable machine is ready to go with the press of a button — your team members can carry it with them around your facility and measure the color of poultry during every stage of preparation.

With an easy-to-read screen and knowledge of all the most common color scales, you can measure poultry color in seconds. Collect your data and keep it close so you can maintain consistency in your products for as long as you distribute them. Request a quote on the MiniScan EZ 4500 and see it in action.