by Cheryl Cruz

Created on: June 24, 2008

Ready-to-cook poultry is available in many supermarkets and local markets.

Birds should be clean, well fleshed, have a moderate fat covering, be free from pinfeathers, and exhibit no cuts, tears, or missing skin. Avoid selecting fresh, ready-to-cook poultry which has missing parts, broken bones, and discolorations. Never buy poultry that has become slimy or has off flavors.

In choosing between live and dressed chicken, compare the birds for conformation, degree of finish and health. Assuming that these factors are similar for live and dressed chickens, compare the prices per pound both.

Compute price per kilo of live chicken when dressed this way:price per pound of live chicken on dressed on a weight basis. The price does not include labor for dressing and eviscerating, if labor is considered and the price per pound of live chicken when dressed is lower than the price of already dressed chicken the live chicken is cheaper. If young poultry is desired, examine the posterior end of the breast or keel of the bone for flexibility. The end of the breastbone of a young bird is composed of cartilage and will bend. In older birds, the cartilage is converted into bone and becomes hard.

When selecting frozen poultry,avoid those with freezer burn caused by dehydration due to improper packaging. Freezer burn appears as lighter colored circular around feather follicles and discolored areas of irregular shape on the surface.

When buying live poultry, select alert, healthy, well feathered, and well formed birds. They should have a good fat covering, free of tears, broken bones bruises, and blisters. Proper handling prior to slaughter is essential.

Poultry should be wrapped with packaging material before they are placed into a refrigerator or freezer. Dehydration and contamination of the carcass can occur if poultry is exposed during refrigeration.

Pack meats in plastic bags, fiberboard, boxes, or aluminum containers. Fiberboard boxes absorb drip from fresh poultry. Transparent plastic films are easily obtained and can be used when refrigerating or freezing poultry meats. Poultry may be packed satisfactorily in other moisture-vapor proof containers such as cellophane, polyethylene,or special wax paper.

Poultry can either be refrigerated or frozen. Refrigerated poultry has a shorter shelf life than frozen poultry. Refrigeration, however, is adequate for preservation of the poultry which is to be consumed in a short time. Fresh poultry when packed well can be stored for several weeks at temperatures just above freezing.

It is not wise to thaw a frozen poultry and then refreeze it. Such practice may cause lose of moisture because of the poultry drips during thawing. Also, microbes may contaminate and grow on the poultry meat.

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