PROCESS OPTIMIZATION FOR CHICKEN PATTIES MANUFACTURED WITH A COMBINATION OF SPENT HEN AND RABBIT MEAT

A comminuted chicken patty was produced using spent hen and rabbit meats at 100:0, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15 and 80:20 ratios. The extenders/binders with whole liquid eggs (WLE) at 5, 10 and 15% and soy chunks at 3, 6 and 9%, respectively, were also used. The patties were evaluated for sensory, physicochemical and proximate quality and shelf life. The scores for all sensory attributes of patties stored at refrigerated temperature (4 ± 1C) for 20 days decreased significantly ( P  < 0.05) while pH, thiobarbituric acid and tyrosine values increased significantly ( P  < 0.05). The patties formulated with WLE and soy chunks‐added patties were acceptable up to 20 days without any spoilage. A combination of 90:10 spent hen meat and rabbit meat formulated with either 10% WLE or 9% soy chunks resulted in the most desirable patties that scored maximum for sensory attributes and had better cooking yield, emulsion stability and physicochemical characteristics over all other combinations. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Meat from spent hens is usually tough and poor in functional properties but could be beneficially utilized through formulation of comminuted processed products. The process of comminution is proven to convert relatively tough and less juicy meat into processed meat products with desirable characteristics. Rabbit meat is rich in vitamin B complex, low in fat and cholesterol content and easily digestible. The protein value of domestic rabbit meat ranked superior over meat of other species being used for human consumption. Egg is a well‐known food additive and emulsifier that possesses nutritional, functional and emulsion properties. The functional properties of egg improve the physicochemical and sensory qualities of patties. In addition, the antimicrobial and antioxidative properties of egg components have been effectively utilized in formulation of meat products.