Quality defects associated with poultry muscle development: white striping

Consumer demand for poultry meat has been steadily rising over recent decades. There has been an increase in global poultry meat consumption from 11.1 kg per person in 2000 to 15.6 kg per person in 2018, with poultry expected to account for 50% of meat consumed globally by 2029 (USDA, 2021). To meet this high demand, chickens and turkeys have been intensively selected for high growth efficiency and heavy body mass. The success in breeding selection, however, has coincided with increasing challenges, including the development of the white striping (WS) abnormality among the birds.