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Consumer Acceptance of Turkey Cooked from the Frozen State in Roasting Bags1
Consumer Acceptance of Turkey Cooked from the Frozen State in Roasting Bags' J. F .
STEPHENS
Department of Poultry Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 674 West Lane Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (Received for publication July 26, 1976)
POULTRY SCIENCE 56: 563-570,
1977
instead of the thawed state. Ibbetson et al. (1968) reported that halves from 5.4 to 6.4 kg. carcasses required 30, 54, and 59 percent longer cooking time than did thawed halves when the turkey was pressure cooked, braised at 176° C. and braised; at 163° C , respectively. Engler and Bowers (1975) found that halves roasted in aluminum pans in 177° C. ovens to internal temperature of 80° C. required 20 percent longer cooking time if cooked from the frozen instead of the thawed state. Little difference in turkey meat cooked from the frozen and thawed states has been reported. Fulton et al. (1967) reported that shear force values, palatability scores, and yield of cooked meat from whole turkeys cooked from the frozen state were not significantly different from those values for turkeys cooked from the thawed state. Ibbetson et al. (1968) found the dark meat to be more tender if thawed before being cooked, but found no difference in flavor desirability or juiciness between turkey cooked from the frozen state and that thawed before being cooked. Engler and Bowers (1975) reported
INTRODUCTION
M
OST "ready-to-cook" turkeys are marketed in the frozen state, and if thawed at refrigerator temperature to minimize bacterial growth, require one or more days to completely thaw. Serving turkey meat could be made much more convenient by roasting the frozen carcass directly from the frozen state. This procedure would shorten the time period between "decision to use" and "time of use" to the actual cooking time, would eliminate the need for space in which to thaw the carcass, and probably would reduce bacterial contamination and proliferation resulting from improper thawing and handling. Roasting turkey from the frozen state has been reported to increase cooking time. Fulton et al. (1967) reported that the mean cooking time for 9.5 to 10.9 kg. carcasses was increased about 46 percent when they were cooked in 163° C. ovens from the frozen
1. Published with approval of the Director, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, as Journal Article No. 115-76.
563
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on June 14, 2015
ABSTRACT A three-year survey of consumer acceptance of turkeys cooked from the frozen state in roasting bags was conducted. A total of 1180 questionaires were returned. Over 60% of the respondents indicated that the cooking time from the frozen state was shorter than cooking times previously used for unfrozen turkeys. More than 80% rated juiciness, tenderness, flavor, and texture of the turkey roasted in the bag "good" or "very good," and 90% who cooked the turkey from the frozen state found the roasting bag method more convenient than cooking methods previously used. No relationship was observed between weight of the turkey cooked in the roasting bag and the consumer attitude toward the product. Principal objections to the cooking method were inability to stuff the turkey cooked from the frozen state, and inaccessibility of giblets until after the turkey was cooked. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents who used the roasting bag method indicated willingness to do so again; 70 percent indicated willingness to pay extra for turkey packaged in the bag used in this study.
564
J. F. STEPHENS
that turkey meat had similar amounts of moisture when cooked to an internal temperature of 80° C. from the frozen, partially frozen, and thawed states. One commercial poultry company has marketed afrozen "chicken-in-a-bag" which may be cooked without prior thawing; and reported excellent consumer acceptance of the product (Timmons, 1973). No previous report of consumer acceptance of turkey cooked from the frozen state in roasting bags was found in the scientific or popular literature.
A total of 3200 turkeys (800 in 1972, 900 in 1973, and 1500 in 1975) were packaged for the Ohio State University Poultry Science Club in roasting bags permitting cooking of turkeys from the frozen state without prior thawing. The cooking bags used are manufactured from oriented polyethylene terepthalate, a heat-shrinkable polyester having a melting point of 218-232° C , by VacPac, Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland (Perlman, 1976). Dressed turkeys weighing 4.5 to 7.3 kg. were packaged in bags having dimensions of 33 by 53 cm.; those weighing 7.3 to 10.0 kg. were packaged in 41 by 56 cm. bags. The turkeys were processed and frozen in mid- to late-October, delivered to the Poultry Science Department freezers in early November, and stored at - 1 0 to -25° C. until sold to members of the O.S.U. faculty and staff two to five days before Thanksgiving Day. Cooking instructions recommending cooking of the turkey from the frozen state (Fig. 1) and a questionaire with a return addressed envelope were placed inside each turkey box, or handed to purchasers when the turkeys were distributed. Turkeys of six weight ranges were pre-ordered on a form provided to faculty and staff members. Departmental addresses were requested, making it possible to send follow-up requests for return of questionaires. In addi-
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A total of 1180 questionaires were returned during the three-year study—299 in 1972, 196 in 1973, and 685 in 1975. The low rate of return of questionaires in 1973 (196 of 900) was probably due to the number of repeat purchasers who had returned questionaires in 1972, and to our failure to adequately emphasize the importance of the questionaires. A progressively higher percentage of questionaires returned the second and third year of the study were from individuals who did not use the roasting bag (Table 1). This probably reflects greater emphasis being placed on return of the questionaire whether or not the turkey was cooked in the roasting bag, not decreasing usage of the bag. About 60 percent of those who gave reasons for not cooking the turkey from the frozen state in the roasting bag mentioned the desire to cook dressing inside the turkey necessitating thawing and removing the turkey from the bag. In response to a question asked only in the 1975 survey, less than 10 percent of the respondents who used the roasting bag procedure indicated interest in having the frozen turkey "prestuffed" or in having premixed dressing provided in a bag separate from the turkey. Other reasons given for not using the roasting bag procedure, in decreasing order of frequency were: (1) unavailability of giblets for use in making dressing or gravy if turkey
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on June 14, 2015
PROCEDURES
tion to the questions, illustrated in Table 1, space was provided on the questionaire for comments and explanation of answers at the discretion of the respondant. Prices per pound charged for the turkeys were $.89 in 1972, .63 in 1973 and .79 in 1975. These prices differed little from those charged in retail stores in Columbus, Ohio, for nationally advertised brands at the same time.
565
TURKEY COOKING
A.
Please follow these instructions to cook turkey in roasting bag without prior thawing. Do_ not thaw turkey.
2.
Do not remove turkey from roasting bag.
3.
Preheat oven to 177°C, [350°FJ .
4.
Place turkey in bottom half of shallow roasting pan or similar container with no cover.
5.
If you have a meat thermometer, insert it into center of the thickest part during the last hour of cooking.
6.
Remove from oven when meat thermometer registers 82°C, (180°F) , or when roasting time is up.
7.
Cool turkey in bag for 10 minutes for easy removal of bag.
8.
Necks and giblets are inside turkey and are roasted with the turkey. We suggest you prepare dressing in the usual manner but cook it outside the turkey. Broth from turkey will be in your pan. APPROXIMATE ROASTING .TIME
Weight
Time
Weight
Time
4.5-5.0 kg.
3-1/2 hrs.
7.3-7.7 kg.
5
5.5-6.0 kg.
4
hrs.
8.2-8.6 kg.
5-1/2 hrs.
6.4-6.8 kg.
4-1/2 hrs.
9.5-9.5 kg.
6
10.0+
6-1/2 hrs.
kg.
hrs.
hrs.
Note: The roasting bag will automatically peel open during cooking to release juices into roasting pan and allow turkey to "brown". No basting is required. B.
If you wish to thaw the turkey before cooking, simply disregard the above instructions and use your own method of cooking. FIG. 1. Cooking instructions.
not thawed, (2) reluctance to try new method (favorite methods, recipes, etc.), (3) desire to personally wash and inspect bird before cooking, (4) concern over "health hazard" of cooking in "plastic," and (5) desire to season carcass before cooking. The responses of individuals who used the roasting bag procedure to questions asked
in the questionaires are summarized in Table 1. Responses to the first question indicate that the 177° C. temperature recommended differed little from that used by most who had cooked turkey by other methods. Some respondents reported having previously used lower temperature-longer time methods. Few had previously used higher temperature.
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1.
566
J. F .
STEPHENS
TABLE 1.—Summary of responses from questionaires 1972 Percent of respondents who cooked turkey in roasting bag
8. How did the cooking time in the bag compare with the time required by the method you normally use? Much shorter Shorter Same Longer Much longer 9. Describe the quality of the turkey cooked in the roasting bag with regard to: a. Juiciness Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor b. Tenderness Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor c. Flavor Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor d. Texture Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor 10. Rate the ease of removing the turkey from the bag after cooking Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor
1975
59' 731 Percent responding " y e s " 2 1972 1975 1973 82'
69
68
74
90 79
96 92
90 93
69
82
71 67 45 11 56
51
62 Percent
14 44 32 9 2
17 45 30 7 1
18 47 25 8 1
58 19 10 9 4
61 24 11 3 1
59 29 11 4 2
60 21 11 5 2
71 19 7 2 1
59 29 9 2 1
52 31 11 3 3
65 29 5 1 0
59 34 4 2 1 52 36 8 2 1 37 37 21 3 2
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1. Are the temperatures given in the instructions similar to those you normally use? 2. Is this method more convenient than the method you previously used? 3. Would you use the roasting bag method again? 4. Would you be willing to pay more for turkey packaged in this type of bag than for turkey packaged conventionally? 5. Did the roasting bag open during the roasting process? 6a. In removing the bag after cooking did you have any problem with the bag sticking to the bird's skin? 6b. Was the problem serious? 7. Did you use the neck and giblets?
1973
TURKEY COOKING TABLE
567
-Continued
Despite the fact that turkeys in the roasting bags were solidly frozen when placed in pre-heated ovens, over 60 percent of the respondents indicated that the cooking time was shorter than that required by the methods they had previously used. However, recommended cooking times for the frozen turkeys (Fig. 1) differ little from those usually recommended for cooking turkey from the thawed state. Only about 10 percent indicated that the cooking time was longer than that required by methods previously used (q. 8). Ibbetson et al. (1968) reported cooking time from the frozen state to average 60.7 and from the thawed state to be 40.1 min. /kg. when turkey was braised in covered aluminum roaster. Recommended cooking time in the roasting bag was 40-45 min./kg. at 177° C. in this study (Fig. 1). It is apparent that the organoleptic properties of the turkey meat were not damaged by roasting it in the bag without prior thawing. Over 80 percent of the respondents rated the juiciness, tenderness, flavor, and texture of the product as "good" or "very good" (q. 9). Except for juiciness, 1972, fewer than 10 percent rated any of the properties "poor" or "very poor." Convenience of the roasting method would seem to be one of the strongest points favoring its use. More than 90 percent of the
respondents who used the method found it more convenient than the methods they had used previously (q. 2). Written comments relative to the convenience of the process most often cited (1) not having to thaw and clean the turkey before cooking, (2) no basting requirement during cooking, (3) no " m e s s " in the oven after cooking and (4) the simplicity of the method. Eighty-eight percent (661 of 749) of respondents who used the roasting bag method indicated willingness to use it again, (q. 3) though some wrote that they would be unwilling to do so if the price of the turkey were increased. However, more than 70 percent did indicate willingness to pay more for frozen turkey packaged in the roasting bag than for turkey packaged conventionally (q. 4). A feature of the roasting bag used in this study is that it opens along a suture line late in the cooking period allowing juices to drain and the turkey to "brown." Because of written comments in 1972 and 1973 concerning opening of the bag and some difficulty in removing the bag from the turkeys, specific pertinent questions were asked in the 1975 questionaire. Responses indicated that about one-third of the bags failed to open (q. 5). No correlation between size of turkey and failure of the bag to open, nor to organoleptic
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1972 1973 1975 11. What is your overall reaction to the turkey cooked in the roasting bag? 54 71 57 Very good Good 36 19 23 Fair 7 9 12 Poor 2 0 5 Very poor 1 1 3 12. How did the quality of the turkey cooked in the roasting bag compare with the quality of turkey cooked by your usual method? 57 77 56 Better About the same 38 13 27 Poorer 5 10 17 'Represents 243 of 299 responses (1972), 142 of 199 responses (1973), and 391 of 685 responses (1975). 2 Respresents only respondents who used roasting bag method of cooking turkey.
568
J. F. STEPHENS
TABLE 2.—Effect
who used the roasting bag method did prepare dressing, and 84 percent indicated that they would like to have the giblets packaged separately from the turkey. Several wrote that the "giblets should be placed in the box in a separate package—outside the turkey." Almost half the respondents who used the roasting bag in 1975 responded positively to the question of whether it would be desirable to have a "pop-up thermometer included to show when the turkey is done, and 29% thought the turkey should be prebasted. In response to summary-type questions of the consumer's overall reaction to the turkey cooked in the roasting bag, 80 to 90 percent responded "very good" or "good"; "poor" and "very poor" responses were rare (q. 11), and well over half the respondents rated the quality of the turkey cooked in the roasting bag "better" than the quality of turkey cooked by other methods (q. 12). A limited amount of demographic data was requested in the 1975 questionaires (Table 3). These data were related to responses to selected questions concerning attitudes toward the roasting bag method and to the turkey cooked by this method. Results of this study indicate no relationship between family income and willingness to use the roasting bag method again (Table 4) or willingness to pay extra for turkey packaged in this roasting bag (Table 5). The poultry club marketed turkeys packaged in this roasting bag for three years prior
of weight of turkey on consumer's overall reaction to turkey in roasting bag Overall reaction to turkey in bag
Weight of turkey kg. 4.5-5.4 5.4-6.4 6.4-7.3 7.3-8.2 8.2-9.1 9.1-10.0
Total
Very good No. 48 59 38 34 20 18
217
% 50 50 63 67 50 64
55.4
Good No.
%
No.
38 44 20 14 15 7
40 38 33 27 37.5 25
6 13 1 3 2 2
138
35.2
27
Very poor
Poor
Fair
% 6 11 2 6 5 7
6.9
No. 2 1 1 0 2 1
% 2 1 2 0 5 4
No.
%
Total no.
2 0 0 0 1 0
2 0 0 0 2.5 0
96 117 60 51 40 28
0.8
392
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properties, deviations from normal cooking times, and general acceptability of the product (Table 2) was found in spite of the fact that only two sizes of bags were used for all sizes of turkeys. It should be noted, however, that the number of turkeys used in some size categories, especially those above 8 kg., was very limited. Some problem of the bag sticking to the turkey was reported by 45 percent of the respondents, however, only 11 percent considered the problem serious (q. 6). It is probable that some failed to let the product cool for 10 minutes, as directed in the cooking instructions, before attempting to remove the bag. In response to a related question, 74 percent reported the "ease of removal of the bird from the bag after cooking" to be ' 'good'' or "very good" (q. 10). The giblets, wrapped in material from which the roasting bag was made, and necks were frozen inside the abdominal cavities and were, therefore, not accessible until the turkey was cooked when the roasting bag method was used. As noted earlier, several respondents gave inaccessibility of giblets as a reason for thawing the turkey before cooking it. Less than 60 percent of all respondents (1972, 1973, and 1975) who used the roasting bag method used the neck and giblets (q. 7); however, only 14 percent of the respondents (1975 data only) approved the idea of excluding the giblets completely. Data obtained in the 1975 survey also revealed that 83 percent of those
569
TURKEY COOKING
TABLE 3.
-Demographic information-1975 questionnaire1
to the 1975 sale. It is, therefore, not surprising that 238 respondents had used the cooking bag previously. Previous experience with the roasting bag procedure may have favorably TABLE 4.—•Income
and attitude toward use of roasting bag
Would you use roasting bag method again ? No Yes Family income Less than $10,000 $10,000-14,999 $15,000-19,999 More than $20,000
No.
%
No.
%
Total responses
45 61 63 153
92 94 87.5 93
4 4 9 12
8 6 12.5 7
49 65 72 165
TABLE 5.-—Effect
of income on willingness to pay extra for turkey in bag
Willingness to pay more for turkey in bag Definitely interested
Probably interested
Probably not interested
Definitely not interested
Family income
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
Less than $10,000 $10,000-14,999 $15,000-19,999 More than $20,000
10 13 21 34
20 20 30 21
27 32 28 85
54 50 40 52
10 16 15 34
20 25 21 21
3 3 6 11
6 5 9 7
Total
78
22
172
49
75
21
26
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Number Percent About how often do you normally purchase turkey or turkey parts? once per year 168 26 2 to 3 times per 344 53 year 3 to 5 times per 99 15 year over 5 times 41 6 per year What is your age? What is your occupation? Have you previously used a turkey in the roasting bag? 37 yes 238 63 no 406 Is your total family income 17 Under $10,000 107 17 $10,000 to 14,999 108 21 $15,000 to 19,999 129 44 $20,000 or more 273 1 All purchasers were asked to respond to these questions.
influenced consumer attitude. Overall reaction to the product was rated "very good" by a higher percentage of respondents who had previously used the bag than by those who had not. However, when "very good" and "good" ratings were totaled, there was little difference in percent favorable response between respondents who had and had not previously used the bag (Table 6). About 53 percent of the respondents who used the roasting bag in 1975 indicated that they purchased turkey two or three times per year; 21 percent purchase turkey more frequently, and 26 percent purchase turkey only once per year. Frequency of purchasing turkey was unrelated to the respondents' willingness to use the roasting bag method again, willingness to pay more for turkeys packaged in this bag than for turkeys packaged conventionally, or overall acceptability of the product. These results suggest that the roasting bag procedure used was equally as acceptable or desirable to individuals who consume turkey several times a year as to those who use turkey only on festive occasions.
570
J . F . STEPHENS
TABLE 6.—Effect of consumer's previous use of turkey in bag on overall reaction to turkey in bag Had previously used turkey in bag reaction Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor Total
No.
%
108 43 7 3 0 161
67 27 4 2 0
No. 103 93 22 3 3
% 46.0 41.5 9.8 1.3 1.3
224
time for the frozen turkeys roasted in the bag is no longer than that required for thawed turkeys roasted by other methods at a similar temperature. The results of this study are interpreted as indicating a considerable potential for marketing turkeys in roasting bags permitting roasting from the frozen state without prior thawing. REFERENCES
The additional cooking time reported by others (Fulton et al., 1967; Ibbetson et al., 1968) to be required if turkey is cooked from the frozen state is apparently eliminated by the cooking bags used in this study. Cooking
Engler, P. P., and J. A. Bowers, 1975. Vitamin B 6 content of turkey cooked from frozen, partially frozen, and thawed states. J. Food Sci. 40: 615-618. Fulton, L. H., G. L. Gilpin andR. H. Dawson, 1967. Turkey roasted from frozen and thawed states. J. Home Econ. 59: 728-731. Ibbetson, C. J., D. M. Travnicek, A. S. Hooper and J. D. Mitchell, 1968. Turkey halves braised or pressure cooked from the frozen or defrosted state. Poultry Sci. 47: 1940-1945. Perlman, S. J., 1976. Personal communications. VAC PAC, Inc., P.O. Box 6339, Baltimore, MD 21230. Timmons, D., 1973. Cook-in-bag chicken hot Grimes product. Poultry Meat, 24 (4): 26ff.
NEWS AND NOTES (Continued from page 562) in the Research and Development Center in Kansas City. ELANCO NOTES Elanco products Company has announced the appointment of David L. Wothke as Director, Industry Affairs. He previously served as Manager of Government Affairs for Eli Lilly in Washington, D.C. William D. Brooks moves into the newly created position of Manager, National Accounts-Animal Products, from Southeast Sales Manager of the Agricultural Chemical Division. C. E. Krautter becomes District Sales Manager in Atlanta in the Animal Products Division. PETERSON FARMS NOTES Dr. Jerry L. Smith has been appointed Geneticist for Peterson Farms, Decatur, Arkansas. He is a recent
graduate of the University of Arkansas and came to Peterson from a poultry breeding firm where he served as Research Geneticist. Dr. Ramakrishna Reddy has been appointed Research Geneticist. A native of India, he has served as a Veterinarian in large and small animal clinics, a Lecturer in animal genetics, and in association with private poultry firms. GOLD KIST NOTES Peter J. Gibbons has joined Gold Kist Inc. as Assistant Vice President-Finance. His primary responsibility in this newly created position with the Atlanta based farmer cooperative is in financial analysis and planning. Much of his work will involve long-term financial planning, including development of alternate sources of funds and financing methods of maximizing profitability.
(Continued on page 589)
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Results of this consumer acceptance survey support those obtained by taste panel and laboratory investigations (Fulton et al., 1967; Ibbetson et al., 1968; Engler and Bowers, 1975) indicating that turkey meat cooked from the frozen state is comparable to that cooked from the thawed state.
STEPHENS
Department of Poultry Science, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 674 West Lane Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (Received for publication July 26, 1976)
POULTRY SCIENCE 56: 563-570,
1977
instead of the thawed state. Ibbetson et al. (1968) reported that halves from 5.4 to 6.4 kg. carcasses required 30, 54, and 59 percent longer cooking time than did thawed halves when the turkey was pressure cooked, braised at 176° C. and braised; at 163° C , respectively. Engler and Bowers (1975) found that halves roasted in aluminum pans in 177° C. ovens to internal temperature of 80° C. required 20 percent longer cooking time if cooked from the frozen instead of the thawed state. Little difference in turkey meat cooked from the frozen and thawed states has been reported. Fulton et al. (1967) reported that shear force values, palatability scores, and yield of cooked meat from whole turkeys cooked from the frozen state were not significantly different from those values for turkeys cooked from the thawed state. Ibbetson et al. (1968) found the dark meat to be more tender if thawed before being cooked, but found no difference in flavor desirability or juiciness between turkey cooked from the frozen state and that thawed before being cooked. Engler and Bowers (1975) reported
INTRODUCTION
M
OST "ready-to-cook" turkeys are marketed in the frozen state, and if thawed at refrigerator temperature to minimize bacterial growth, require one or more days to completely thaw. Serving turkey meat could be made much more convenient by roasting the frozen carcass directly from the frozen state. This procedure would shorten the time period between "decision to use" and "time of use" to the actual cooking time, would eliminate the need for space in which to thaw the carcass, and probably would reduce bacterial contamination and proliferation resulting from improper thawing and handling. Roasting turkey from the frozen state has been reported to increase cooking time. Fulton et al. (1967) reported that the mean cooking time for 9.5 to 10.9 kg. carcasses was increased about 46 percent when they were cooked in 163° C. ovens from the frozen
1. Published with approval of the Director, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, as Journal Article No. 115-76.
563
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on June 14, 2015
ABSTRACT A three-year survey of consumer acceptance of turkeys cooked from the frozen state in roasting bags was conducted. A total of 1180 questionaires were returned. Over 60% of the respondents indicated that the cooking time from the frozen state was shorter than cooking times previously used for unfrozen turkeys. More than 80% rated juiciness, tenderness, flavor, and texture of the turkey roasted in the bag "good" or "very good," and 90% who cooked the turkey from the frozen state found the roasting bag method more convenient than cooking methods previously used. No relationship was observed between weight of the turkey cooked in the roasting bag and the consumer attitude toward the product. Principal objections to the cooking method were inability to stuff the turkey cooked from the frozen state, and inaccessibility of giblets until after the turkey was cooked. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents who used the roasting bag method indicated willingness to do so again; 70 percent indicated willingness to pay extra for turkey packaged in the bag used in this study.
564
J. F. STEPHENS
that turkey meat had similar amounts of moisture when cooked to an internal temperature of 80° C. from the frozen, partially frozen, and thawed states. One commercial poultry company has marketed afrozen "chicken-in-a-bag" which may be cooked without prior thawing; and reported excellent consumer acceptance of the product (Timmons, 1973). No previous report of consumer acceptance of turkey cooked from the frozen state in roasting bags was found in the scientific or popular literature.
A total of 3200 turkeys (800 in 1972, 900 in 1973, and 1500 in 1975) were packaged for the Ohio State University Poultry Science Club in roasting bags permitting cooking of turkeys from the frozen state without prior thawing. The cooking bags used are manufactured from oriented polyethylene terepthalate, a heat-shrinkable polyester having a melting point of 218-232° C , by VacPac, Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland (Perlman, 1976). Dressed turkeys weighing 4.5 to 7.3 kg. were packaged in bags having dimensions of 33 by 53 cm.; those weighing 7.3 to 10.0 kg. were packaged in 41 by 56 cm. bags. The turkeys were processed and frozen in mid- to late-October, delivered to the Poultry Science Department freezers in early November, and stored at - 1 0 to -25° C. until sold to members of the O.S.U. faculty and staff two to five days before Thanksgiving Day. Cooking instructions recommending cooking of the turkey from the frozen state (Fig. 1) and a questionaire with a return addressed envelope were placed inside each turkey box, or handed to purchasers when the turkeys were distributed. Turkeys of six weight ranges were pre-ordered on a form provided to faculty and staff members. Departmental addresses were requested, making it possible to send follow-up requests for return of questionaires. In addi-
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A total of 1180 questionaires were returned during the three-year study—299 in 1972, 196 in 1973, and 685 in 1975. The low rate of return of questionaires in 1973 (196 of 900) was probably due to the number of repeat purchasers who had returned questionaires in 1972, and to our failure to adequately emphasize the importance of the questionaires. A progressively higher percentage of questionaires returned the second and third year of the study were from individuals who did not use the roasting bag (Table 1). This probably reflects greater emphasis being placed on return of the questionaire whether or not the turkey was cooked in the roasting bag, not decreasing usage of the bag. About 60 percent of those who gave reasons for not cooking the turkey from the frozen state in the roasting bag mentioned the desire to cook dressing inside the turkey necessitating thawing and removing the turkey from the bag. In response to a question asked only in the 1975 survey, less than 10 percent of the respondents who used the roasting bag procedure indicated interest in having the frozen turkey "prestuffed" or in having premixed dressing provided in a bag separate from the turkey. Other reasons given for not using the roasting bag procedure, in decreasing order of frequency were: (1) unavailability of giblets for use in making dressing or gravy if turkey
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on June 14, 2015
PROCEDURES
tion to the questions, illustrated in Table 1, space was provided on the questionaire for comments and explanation of answers at the discretion of the respondant. Prices per pound charged for the turkeys were $.89 in 1972, .63 in 1973 and .79 in 1975. These prices differed little from those charged in retail stores in Columbus, Ohio, for nationally advertised brands at the same time.
565
TURKEY COOKING
A.
Please follow these instructions to cook turkey in roasting bag without prior thawing. Do_ not thaw turkey.
2.
Do not remove turkey from roasting bag.
3.
Preheat oven to 177°C, [350°FJ .
4.
Place turkey in bottom half of shallow roasting pan or similar container with no cover.
5.
If you have a meat thermometer, insert it into center of the thickest part during the last hour of cooking.
6.
Remove from oven when meat thermometer registers 82°C, (180°F) , or when roasting time is up.
7.
Cool turkey in bag for 10 minutes for easy removal of bag.
8.
Necks and giblets are inside turkey and are roasted with the turkey. We suggest you prepare dressing in the usual manner but cook it outside the turkey. Broth from turkey will be in your pan. APPROXIMATE ROASTING .TIME
Weight
Time
Weight
Time
4.5-5.0 kg.
3-1/2 hrs.
7.3-7.7 kg.
5
5.5-6.0 kg.
4
hrs.
8.2-8.6 kg.
5-1/2 hrs.
6.4-6.8 kg.
4-1/2 hrs.
9.5-9.5 kg.
6
10.0+
6-1/2 hrs.
kg.
hrs.
hrs.
Note: The roasting bag will automatically peel open during cooking to release juices into roasting pan and allow turkey to "brown". No basting is required. B.
If you wish to thaw the turkey before cooking, simply disregard the above instructions and use your own method of cooking. FIG. 1. Cooking instructions.
not thawed, (2) reluctance to try new method (favorite methods, recipes, etc.), (3) desire to personally wash and inspect bird before cooking, (4) concern over "health hazard" of cooking in "plastic," and (5) desire to season carcass before cooking. The responses of individuals who used the roasting bag procedure to questions asked
in the questionaires are summarized in Table 1. Responses to the first question indicate that the 177° C. temperature recommended differed little from that used by most who had cooked turkey by other methods. Some respondents reported having previously used lower temperature-longer time methods. Few had previously used higher temperature.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on June 14, 2015
1.
566
J. F .
STEPHENS
TABLE 1.—Summary of responses from questionaires 1972 Percent of respondents who cooked turkey in roasting bag
8. How did the cooking time in the bag compare with the time required by the method you normally use? Much shorter Shorter Same Longer Much longer 9. Describe the quality of the turkey cooked in the roasting bag with regard to: a. Juiciness Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor b. Tenderness Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor c. Flavor Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor d. Texture Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor 10. Rate the ease of removing the turkey from the bag after cooking Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor
1975
59' 731 Percent responding " y e s " 2 1972 1975 1973 82'
69
68
74
90 79
96 92
90 93
69
82
71 67 45 11 56
51
62 Percent
14 44 32 9 2
17 45 30 7 1
18 47 25 8 1
58 19 10 9 4
61 24 11 3 1
59 29 11 4 2
60 21 11 5 2
71 19 7 2 1
59 29 9 2 1
52 31 11 3 3
65 29 5 1 0
59 34 4 2 1 52 36 8 2 1 37 37 21 3 2
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1. Are the temperatures given in the instructions similar to those you normally use? 2. Is this method more convenient than the method you previously used? 3. Would you use the roasting bag method again? 4. Would you be willing to pay more for turkey packaged in this type of bag than for turkey packaged conventionally? 5. Did the roasting bag open during the roasting process? 6a. In removing the bag after cooking did you have any problem with the bag sticking to the bird's skin? 6b. Was the problem serious? 7. Did you use the neck and giblets?
1973
TURKEY COOKING TABLE
567
-Continued
Despite the fact that turkeys in the roasting bags were solidly frozen when placed in pre-heated ovens, over 60 percent of the respondents indicated that the cooking time was shorter than that required by the methods they had previously used. However, recommended cooking times for the frozen turkeys (Fig. 1) differ little from those usually recommended for cooking turkey from the thawed state. Only about 10 percent indicated that the cooking time was longer than that required by methods previously used (q. 8). Ibbetson et al. (1968) reported cooking time from the frozen state to average 60.7 and from the thawed state to be 40.1 min. /kg. when turkey was braised in covered aluminum roaster. Recommended cooking time in the roasting bag was 40-45 min./kg. at 177° C. in this study (Fig. 1). It is apparent that the organoleptic properties of the turkey meat were not damaged by roasting it in the bag without prior thawing. Over 80 percent of the respondents rated the juiciness, tenderness, flavor, and texture of the product as "good" or "very good" (q. 9). Except for juiciness, 1972, fewer than 10 percent rated any of the properties "poor" or "very poor." Convenience of the roasting method would seem to be one of the strongest points favoring its use. More than 90 percent of the
respondents who used the method found it more convenient than the methods they had used previously (q. 2). Written comments relative to the convenience of the process most often cited (1) not having to thaw and clean the turkey before cooking, (2) no basting requirement during cooking, (3) no " m e s s " in the oven after cooking and (4) the simplicity of the method. Eighty-eight percent (661 of 749) of respondents who used the roasting bag method indicated willingness to use it again, (q. 3) though some wrote that they would be unwilling to do so if the price of the turkey were increased. However, more than 70 percent did indicate willingness to pay more for frozen turkey packaged in the roasting bag than for turkey packaged conventionally (q. 4). A feature of the roasting bag used in this study is that it opens along a suture line late in the cooking period allowing juices to drain and the turkey to "brown." Because of written comments in 1972 and 1973 concerning opening of the bag and some difficulty in removing the bag from the turkeys, specific pertinent questions were asked in the 1975 questionaire. Responses indicated that about one-third of the bags failed to open (q. 5). No correlation between size of turkey and failure of the bag to open, nor to organoleptic
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1972 1973 1975 11. What is your overall reaction to the turkey cooked in the roasting bag? 54 71 57 Very good Good 36 19 23 Fair 7 9 12 Poor 2 0 5 Very poor 1 1 3 12. How did the quality of the turkey cooked in the roasting bag compare with the quality of turkey cooked by your usual method? 57 77 56 Better About the same 38 13 27 Poorer 5 10 17 'Represents 243 of 299 responses (1972), 142 of 199 responses (1973), and 391 of 685 responses (1975). 2 Respresents only respondents who used roasting bag method of cooking turkey.
568
J. F. STEPHENS
TABLE 2.—Effect
who used the roasting bag method did prepare dressing, and 84 percent indicated that they would like to have the giblets packaged separately from the turkey. Several wrote that the "giblets should be placed in the box in a separate package—outside the turkey." Almost half the respondents who used the roasting bag in 1975 responded positively to the question of whether it would be desirable to have a "pop-up thermometer included to show when the turkey is done, and 29% thought the turkey should be prebasted. In response to summary-type questions of the consumer's overall reaction to the turkey cooked in the roasting bag, 80 to 90 percent responded "very good" or "good"; "poor" and "very poor" responses were rare (q. 11), and well over half the respondents rated the quality of the turkey cooked in the roasting bag "better" than the quality of turkey cooked by other methods (q. 12). A limited amount of demographic data was requested in the 1975 questionaires (Table 3). These data were related to responses to selected questions concerning attitudes toward the roasting bag method and to the turkey cooked by this method. Results of this study indicate no relationship between family income and willingness to use the roasting bag method again (Table 4) or willingness to pay extra for turkey packaged in this roasting bag (Table 5). The poultry club marketed turkeys packaged in this roasting bag for three years prior
of weight of turkey on consumer's overall reaction to turkey in roasting bag Overall reaction to turkey in bag
Weight of turkey kg. 4.5-5.4 5.4-6.4 6.4-7.3 7.3-8.2 8.2-9.1 9.1-10.0
Total
Very good No. 48 59 38 34 20 18
217
% 50 50 63 67 50 64
55.4
Good No.
%
No.
38 44 20 14 15 7
40 38 33 27 37.5 25
6 13 1 3 2 2
138
35.2
27
Very poor
Poor
Fair
% 6 11 2 6 5 7
6.9
No. 2 1 1 0 2 1
% 2 1 2 0 5 4
No.
%
Total no.
2 0 0 0 1 0
2 0 0 0 2.5 0
96 117 60 51 40 28
0.8
392
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properties, deviations from normal cooking times, and general acceptability of the product (Table 2) was found in spite of the fact that only two sizes of bags were used for all sizes of turkeys. It should be noted, however, that the number of turkeys used in some size categories, especially those above 8 kg., was very limited. Some problem of the bag sticking to the turkey was reported by 45 percent of the respondents, however, only 11 percent considered the problem serious (q. 6). It is probable that some failed to let the product cool for 10 minutes, as directed in the cooking instructions, before attempting to remove the bag. In response to a related question, 74 percent reported the "ease of removal of the bird from the bag after cooking" to be ' 'good'' or "very good" (q. 10). The giblets, wrapped in material from which the roasting bag was made, and necks were frozen inside the abdominal cavities and were, therefore, not accessible until the turkey was cooked when the roasting bag method was used. As noted earlier, several respondents gave inaccessibility of giblets as a reason for thawing the turkey before cooking it. Less than 60 percent of all respondents (1972, 1973, and 1975) who used the roasting bag method used the neck and giblets (q. 7); however, only 14 percent of the respondents (1975 data only) approved the idea of excluding the giblets completely. Data obtained in the 1975 survey also revealed that 83 percent of those
569
TURKEY COOKING
TABLE 3.
-Demographic information-1975 questionnaire1
to the 1975 sale. It is, therefore, not surprising that 238 respondents had used the cooking bag previously. Previous experience with the roasting bag procedure may have favorably TABLE 4.—•Income
and attitude toward use of roasting bag
Would you use roasting bag method again ? No Yes Family income Less than $10,000 $10,000-14,999 $15,000-19,999 More than $20,000
No.
%
No.
%
Total responses
45 61 63 153
92 94 87.5 93
4 4 9 12
8 6 12.5 7
49 65 72 165
TABLE 5.-—Effect
of income on willingness to pay extra for turkey in bag
Willingness to pay more for turkey in bag Definitely interested
Probably interested
Probably not interested
Definitely not interested
Family income
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
Less than $10,000 $10,000-14,999 $15,000-19,999 More than $20,000
10 13 21 34
20 20 30 21
27 32 28 85
54 50 40 52
10 16 15 34
20 25 21 21
3 3 6 11
6 5 9 7
Total
78
22
172
49
75
21
26
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Number Percent About how often do you normally purchase turkey or turkey parts? once per year 168 26 2 to 3 times per 344 53 year 3 to 5 times per 99 15 year over 5 times 41 6 per year What is your age? What is your occupation? Have you previously used a turkey in the roasting bag? 37 yes 238 63 no 406 Is your total family income 17 Under $10,000 107 17 $10,000 to 14,999 108 21 $15,000 to 19,999 129 44 $20,000 or more 273 1 All purchasers were asked to respond to these questions.
influenced consumer attitude. Overall reaction to the product was rated "very good" by a higher percentage of respondents who had previously used the bag than by those who had not. However, when "very good" and "good" ratings were totaled, there was little difference in percent favorable response between respondents who had and had not previously used the bag (Table 6). About 53 percent of the respondents who used the roasting bag in 1975 indicated that they purchased turkey two or three times per year; 21 percent purchase turkey more frequently, and 26 percent purchase turkey only once per year. Frequency of purchasing turkey was unrelated to the respondents' willingness to use the roasting bag method again, willingness to pay more for turkeys packaged in this bag than for turkeys packaged conventionally, or overall acceptability of the product. These results suggest that the roasting bag procedure used was equally as acceptable or desirable to individuals who consume turkey several times a year as to those who use turkey only on festive occasions.
570
J . F . STEPHENS
TABLE 6.—Effect of consumer's previous use of turkey in bag on overall reaction to turkey in bag Had previously used turkey in bag reaction Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor Total
No.
%
108 43 7 3 0 161
67 27 4 2 0
No. 103 93 22 3 3
% 46.0 41.5 9.8 1.3 1.3
224
time for the frozen turkeys roasted in the bag is no longer than that required for thawed turkeys roasted by other methods at a similar temperature. The results of this study are interpreted as indicating a considerable potential for marketing turkeys in roasting bags permitting roasting from the frozen state without prior thawing. REFERENCES
The additional cooking time reported by others (Fulton et al., 1967; Ibbetson et al., 1968) to be required if turkey is cooked from the frozen state is apparently eliminated by the cooking bags used in this study. Cooking
Engler, P. P., and J. A. Bowers, 1975. Vitamin B 6 content of turkey cooked from frozen, partially frozen, and thawed states. J. Food Sci. 40: 615-618. Fulton, L. H., G. L. Gilpin andR. H. Dawson, 1967. Turkey roasted from frozen and thawed states. J. Home Econ. 59: 728-731. Ibbetson, C. J., D. M. Travnicek, A. S. Hooper and J. D. Mitchell, 1968. Turkey halves braised or pressure cooked from the frozen or defrosted state. Poultry Sci. 47: 1940-1945. Perlman, S. J., 1976. Personal communications. VAC PAC, Inc., P.O. Box 6339, Baltimore, MD 21230. Timmons, D., 1973. Cook-in-bag chicken hot Grimes product. Poultry Meat, 24 (4): 26ff.
NEWS AND NOTES (Continued from page 562) in the Research and Development Center in Kansas City. ELANCO NOTES Elanco products Company has announced the appointment of David L. Wothke as Director, Industry Affairs. He previously served as Manager of Government Affairs for Eli Lilly in Washington, D.C. William D. Brooks moves into the newly created position of Manager, National Accounts-Animal Products, from Southeast Sales Manager of the Agricultural Chemical Division. C. E. Krautter becomes District Sales Manager in Atlanta in the Animal Products Division. PETERSON FARMS NOTES Dr. Jerry L. Smith has been appointed Geneticist for Peterson Farms, Decatur, Arkansas. He is a recent
graduate of the University of Arkansas and came to Peterson from a poultry breeding firm where he served as Research Geneticist. Dr. Ramakrishna Reddy has been appointed Research Geneticist. A native of India, he has served as a Veterinarian in large and small animal clinics, a Lecturer in animal genetics, and in association with private poultry firms. GOLD KIST NOTES Peter J. Gibbons has joined Gold Kist Inc. as Assistant Vice President-Finance. His primary responsibility in this newly created position with the Atlanta based farmer cooperative is in financial analysis and planning. Much of his work will involve long-term financial planning, including development of alternate sources of funds and financing methods of maximizing profitability.
(Continued on page 589)
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Results of this consumer acceptance survey support those obtained by taste panel and laboratory investigations (Fulton et al., 1967; Ibbetson et al., 1968; Engler and Bowers, 1975) indicating that turkey meat cooked from the frozen state is comparable to that cooked from the thawed state.