The research objective was to assess the impact of three different systems of chilling chicken carcasses on their quality characteristics during storage in a chilling room. The research was carried out on 90 chicken broilers aged 6–8 weeks, 30 chickens from each of three plants using different chilling methods: air chilling, immersion chilling and evaporative chilling. Chosen parameters were determined on the first day of storage (time 0) as well as on its 3^rd and 6^th days. The parameters included the pH value of meat and the ammonia content; also a sensory evaluation of the muscle tissue (appearance and odour) was performed according to a 5-point scale The quality characteristics were evaluated in accordance with Polskie Normy (Polish Standards). The pH value of meat was significantly higher in the carcasses chilled by means of the air and immersion systems than in those chilled in the evaporative system. The chilling system had no significant impact on the pH value of chicken meat at the beginning of storage (day 0). However, the impact became apparent on the 3^rd and 6^th days of storage. The ammonia content was the lowest in the air-chilled carcasses and the highest in those chilled in the evaporative system. During the first days of storage, ie. days 0 and 3, no significant differences in the ammonia content of meat chilled in different systems were noted. The influence of the chilling system on the value of that parameter was observed only on the 6^th day of storage. Significant differences occurred between carcasses chilled in all systems examined. On the fist day of storage (time 0) no significant differences in the appearance of carcasses chilled by different methods were observed. Significant changes in appearance occurred on the 3^rd day of storage. The appearance of carcasses chilled in the air and evaporative systems was evaluated significantly lower than in the case of the immersion system. Such differences persisted until the end of cold storage. During the first days of storage, i.e. days 0 and 3, the carcasses chilled in all three systems under examination did not differ in terms of odour. The impact of the chilling system on that characteristic was observed only on the 6^th day of storage. In the air and evaporative systems the odour of carcasses was evaluated significantly lower than in the immersion system. Adverse changes in the appearance and odour of carcasses chilled by all three methods began after only 3 days of storage and became more pronounced on the sixth day, when these two characteristics were rated less than 2 on a 5-point scale. To recapitulate, the chilling system did not affect the pH value of meat during storage. It did affect the ammonia content, but only on the 6^th day of storage; it was particularly high in the carcasses chilled in the immersion and evaporative systems. The chilling system had a significant impact on the sensory characteristics of carcasses during storage. Adverse changes in the appearance and odour of carcasses chilled by all three methods began after 3 days of storage, but on the 6^th day they were the most noticeable in the carcasses chilled by the air and evaporative methods. In terms of both these characteristics carcasses chilled in the immersion system were rated higher than those chilled by the other two methods, though the evaluation was negative in all three cases.

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