The effects of ante-mortem stressors such as stunning, struggling, environmental temperature and feed withdrawal on the biochemical changes of broiler breast muscle are assessed in relation to post-mortem biochemical changes and the subsequent tenderness of broiler breast meat. The findings of investigations concerned with broiler meat are presented alongside more fundamental studies addressing such aspects as Ca2+ release and sequestration, endocrine changes during periods of stress and the role of fatty acids as regulators of membrane bound channels. An attempt is made to assimilate the pertinent facts associated with this topic and to give directions for future research. It is concluded, however, that, whilst tenderness in meat is often associated with a loss of ATP, glycogen breakdown and lactic acid accumulation within muscles, current data are insufficient to enable a definitive decision to be made as to which have adverse effects on broiler meat tenderness.
