LESSON 1.

3
MARKET FORMS OF
POULTRY
◦ Fresh Poultry – form of poultry immediately after slaughter,
without undergoing chilling or freezing. This works well when
poultry is to be cooked within 24 hours.
◦ Frozen Poultry – poultry that has been chilled or frozen to
preserve as much nutrition, texture and freshness as possible. It
may be kept up to six months.
◦ Fully Cooked Poultry – this is often purchased because of its
convenience. It may be either frozen or canned.
POULTRY CUTS
The cuts of the chicken are very simple and not as elaborate as other
animals. The most basic cuts of poultry for meat are breast and legs.
However chicken jointed into various pieces and the cuts are thus named
after this.
 WHOLE
-cleaned bird
with the head
and feet
removed. It can
be purchased
fresh or frozen.
 HALF
CHICKEN
-the whole
chicken is split
from front to
back through
the backbone
and keel,
resulting in two
mirror-image
halves.
 BREAST
QUARTERS
-a cut that
includes a
portion of the
back, the breast
and the wing.
 SPLIT
BREAST
-a breast
quarter with
the wing
removed,
which may
come with or
without a
portion of the
back.
BONELESS,
SKINLESS
CHICKEN
BREAST
-a split breast
which has been
deboned and
skinned.
 WHOLE
CHICKEN
WING
-an all-white
meat portion of
the chicken,
with three
sections: the
drumettes,
midsection and
tip.
 WING
DRUMETTE
S
-the portion of
the wing
between the
shoulder and
the elbow.
WING MID
SECTION
-also referred
to as the “wing
flat” or “mid-
joint”, this is
the section
between the
elbow and the
tip.
 WHOLE
CHICKEN
LEG
-the
combination of
both
drumsticks and
thigh in one
unit which
does not
include a
portion of the
back.
 THIGHS
-the portion of
the leg cut
above the joint
of the knee.
DRUMSTIC
KS
-the lower
portion of the
leg quarter –
between the
joint of the
knee and the
hock.
 GIBLETS
-refer to the
edible offal of
the chicken,
including the
heart, gizzards,
liver and neck.
BONELESS,
SKINLESS
THIGHS
-thigh with
skin and bone
removed.
BONELESS,
SKINLESS
LEG
-whole chicken
leg with skin
and bone
removed.
 8-PIECE
CUT
-the whole
poultry is cut
into 2 breast
halves with ribs
and back
portion, 2
wings, 2 thighs
with back
portion and 2
drumsticks.
-labelled whole
cut-up chicken.
LIGHT OR DARK
MEAT
Birds that rarely fly have
white or light colored
wings and breast meal. It
has less fat and cooks
faster than dark meat.

The dark meat of poultry comes

from the part that have more muscles
and connective tissue such as bird’s
thighs and legs. Dark meat has more
fat and generally takes longer to
cook.
TYPES AND CAUSES
OF FOOD SPOILAGE
AND CROSS-
CONTAMINATION
Poultry is potentially hazardous food. It provides an excellent
medium for the growth of microorganisms. The principal spoilage
bacteria found on poultry include:

Pseudomonas – a type of bacteria that can cause infections.

Staphylococcus – a type of commonly found on the skin and

hair as well as in the noses and throats of people and animals.
Acinetobacter – a genus of Gram-negative bacteria belonging
to the wider class of Gammaproteobacteria. 

Moraxella –  a genus of Gram-negative bacteria in the

Moraxellaceae family. It is named after the Swiss
ophthalmologist Victor Morax. It is known that about 15% to
20% of the ear infections are caused by Moraxella.

Salmonella causes about 1.2
million illnesses, 23,000
hospitalizations, and 450 deaths in
the United States every year.
In addition,
Poultry often supports
the growth of certain
pathogenic bacteria,
such as Salmonella.
 CAUSES OF
CONTAMINATION OF
POULTRY
◦ Contact of the carcass with body parts that contain a high
microbial load. (e.g., feathers, feet, intestinal contents)
◦ Contamination of the skin and the lining of the body cavity
occurs during washing, plucking and evisceration.
◦ Use of contaminated equipment, and physical manipulation of
the meat (e.g., deboning, grinding). Hands, cutting boards,
counters, knives, and other utensils must be washed thoroughly
after they have may come in contact with uncooked foods.
SPOILAGE OF
POULTRY
◦ Most bacterial growth takes place on the surfaces (skin, lining
of the body cavity, and any cut surfaces).
◦ Enzymes of the fowl contributes to the deterioration of dressed
birds.
◦ Bacteria is the chief cause of spoilage and the intensines is the
primary source.
SIGNS OF SPOILAGE
1. There is an off odor.
2. Change in color.
3. Feels sticky or slimy to touch.
4. Bruises
5. Broken limbs and breast bone is not flexible.