Effect of Phosphate and Spent Hen Yolk on the Quality of Chicken Sausages from Spent Hens

Abstract

Spent hens were hand deboned within 3 h of slaughter to obtain meat and by-products (skin, gizzard, heart, and cooked meat). Effects of four treatments on quality and acceptability of two chicken sausage formulations were evaluated: 1) no additions (control); 2) .5% phosphate; 3) 3% spent hen yolk; 4) .5% phosphate + 3% spent hen yolk. Formulation 1 contained meat (100%) whereas Formulation 2 contained meat (66.5%) and by-products (33.5%).Addition of phosphate plus yolk increased pH, decreased fat separation, resulted in better stability of the emulsion, and decreased cooking loss of sausages, which result in higher acceptability in both formulations; addition of phosphate alone resulted in the maximum desirable effect in Formulation 1. Addition of both phosphate plus yolk was necessary for the maximum desirable effect in Formulation 2. Addition of spent hen yolk compensated for the by-products in Formulation 2 in the presence of phosphate. Addition of yolk alone was not beneficial in Formulation 1, although in Formulation 2, the addition was beneficial to some extent. Spent hen yolk could profitably be used to produce chicken sausages of better quality from spent hens.