Effect of Canning and Liquid Smoking on the Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Sensory Properties of Spent Hen Meat

Abstract

A study aimed to develop new products from spent hen meats to increase marketing value of meat, which is an excellent and inexpensive source of animal protein that can effectively reduce acute malnutrition resulting from protein and energy deficiency, especially in developing countries. Canning alone or combined with smoking liquid was used to produce ten treatments from spent hen meats. The first was a single piece of chicken breast (solid canned chicken), while the other four treatments were pieces (chunk) and shredded made from breasts and thighs. The last five treatments were created from the previous five treatments by incorporating 1% smoke liquid during canning. Raw chicken thighs samples had more moisture, fat, ash, and pH, but less protein than chicken breast samples. Canning for the three different types (solid, chunk and shredded) made from breasts or thighs reduced moisture and increased protein, fat, and ash content while decreasing muscle water-holding ability, with the exception of thighs, which have a higher fat content than breast meat. Total volatile nitrogen (TVN) content in canned chicken thighs was lower than that of canned breast meat, while thiobarbituric acid (TBA) levels were higher in canned thighs compared to canned breast meat due to the higher fat content of the thighs. However, the study results show that the TVN and TBA contents in all samples were below the permissible limits according to the Egyptian standard specifications. Canned chicken breast meat recorded a higher overall acceptability score than canned thighs, while solid samples recorded the highest quality score, followed by chunk and then shredded. Smoking improved the sensory attributes compared to unsmoked meat. All canned chicken samples (smoked or unsmoked) were negative for Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella spp., and spore-forming bacteria. The results show that all canned chicken samples are highly acceptable and safe for human consumption. Smoking reduced TVN and TBA levels, pH values, and increased WHC, elasticity, and water-holding capacity of the canned chicken meat compared to unsmoked.