Effect of microwave combined with steam pretreatment on the flavor and quality of Tibetan chicken soup

Conventional processing relies on time-consuming and intricate stewing methods, which hinder industrial-scale production of chicken soup. To address this limitation, this study investigated the effect of pretreatment cycle number on the quality of chicken meat and the flavor of chicken soup using a microwave combination with steam (MWS) process. Results showed that MWS pre-processing facilitated protein and lipid oxidation, improved the microstructure, and boosted the release and breakdown of nutrients in Tibetan chicken meat. At cycle 9, the concentrations of aldehydes (106.912 μg/kg), alcohols (10.293 μg/kg), and furans (0.717 μg/kg) in the chicken soup reached its maximum value, along with the content of umami amino acids(30.46 %), sweetnamino acids (40.09 %) and 5'-nucleotides (64.65 %) also increased significantly, while the content of bitter amino acids (29.25 %) decreased significantly. 1-octen-3-ol, 2,3-octanedione, and 2-pentylfuran were recognized as the key aromatic substances in chicken soup, while glutamic acid and 5'-inosine monophosphate (5'-IMP) were identified as the primary contributors to its taste. In conclusion, MWS pretreatment significantly enhanced Tibetan chicken meat quality and soup flavor.