Comparison of Quality and Sensory Characteristics of Spent Hen and Broiler in South Korea

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Spent hen and broiler have clear differences according to consumption methods. The pH, color, cooking yield, water holding capacity (WHC), and shear force of carcass characteristics and the electronic nose and electronic tongue of sensory characteristics were compared in order to recruit discarded spent hens. As a result, spent hen had a lower cooking yield and WHC compared to broiler and thus presented a higher shear force. In addition, broiler showed higher umami values than spent hen in the electronic tongue. Accordingly, it is essential to use additives with a high water holding capacity to process spent hen meat. ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to compare the quality and sensory characteristics of spent hen and broiler in South Korea. The carcasses of spent hens and broilers that had been slaughtered 24 h before were used. The cooking yield and water holding capacity of broiler was significantly higher than that of spent hen (p < 0.05). The pH of broiler thigh was significantly higher than that of the other treatments (p < 0.05), while on the other hand spent hen breast had a lower value than other treatments (p < 0.05). The redness of the thigh of both types was more than that of the breast (p < 0.05). In contrast, the yellowness of the breast of the two types was more than that of the thigh of both types. The changes in organoleptic characteristics of broiler was higher than that of spent hen, and the aroma patterns detected using the electronic nose were markedly different in terms of the type of meat. Spent hens are generally considered to have lower consumption rates than broilers because they have a lower taste and aroma. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that processing or additives are required in the distribution method of spent hens.