The Effect of Different Freezing and Thawing Methods on Physicochemical, Sensory, and Flavor Characteristics of Korean Native Chicken Breast

This study compared the physicochemical, sensory, and flavor-related properties of breast from two Korean native chicken (KNC) breeds, Woorimatdag No. 1 (WRMD1) and Woorimatdag No. 2 (WRMD2), to those of broilers, under fresh and various freeze-thaw treatments. Samples were subjected to slow freezing at -20°C (SF) and quick freezing at -70°C for 24 hours (QF), followed by storage at -20°C. Thawing included refrigeration (RT), ambient temperature, water, and microwave thawing. The QF-RT treatment proved to be the most effective in maintaining water content, exhibiting the lowest drip loss across all breeds. Shear force was not influenced by freeze-thaw treatments (p > 0.05). The total aerobic bacteria count was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in broiler meat compared to WRMD1 and WRMD2. An evaluation of taste and flavor compounds was conducted on selected treatments (SF-RT and QF-RT), focusing on fatty acids, nucleotide-related compounds, and the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present. The chicken breed influenced the fatty acid profile. The KNC breeds exhibited higher levels of essential and taste-related fatty acids compared to the broilers. Notably, WRMD1 exhibited the highest inosine monophosphate concentration, a key nucleotide responsible for umami taste. The freeze-thaw treatment did not significantly influence the fatty acid profile. Several VOCs such as (S)-(+)-3-Methyl-1-pentanol, Propanal, 2-methyl-, sec-Butylamine, 3,3-Dimethyl-1,2-epoxybutane, Hexanal, 5-methyl-, 1-Octen-3-ol, and 5-Ethylcyclopent-1-enecarboxaldehyde were identified as potential markers for differentiating broiler and KNC meat. Overall, the breed had a more significant impact on the physicochemical and flavor characteristics of the meat, while quick freezing effectively preserved its fresh quality.