Multivariate Statistical Analysis of the Quality of Chicken Broths from Different Varieties of Yellow-Feathered Broiler Breeds

The present study used principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis to comprehensively investigate the effect of yellow-feathered broilers with different growth rates, namely slow-growing, medium-growing, fast-growing and spent broiler breeders, on quality of chicken broths. To this end, the yield, dry matter content, soluble solid content, turbidity, sodium content, free amino acids (FAA) contents and flavor nucleotide contents of chicken broths from different broiler breeds were compared. Results showed that slow-growing yellow-feathered broiler broth had significantly higher sodium content, turbidity, dry matter content and soluble solid content (P < 0.05) and lower yield than broths from the other breeds. Analysis of flavor substances revealed that fast-growing yellow-feathered broiler broth had significantly higher total FAA content (P < 0.05) with taste activity value (TAV) greater than 1 for glutamic acid (Glu) and histidine (His) as the main flavor contributors; slow-growing yellow-feathered broiler broth contained significantly higher total amount of flavor nucleotide contents (P < 0.05) with TAV greater than 1 for inosine 5’-monophosphate (IMP) as the major flavor nucleotide.Fast-growing yellow-feathered broiler broth had the highest equivalent umami concentration (EUC), indicating the strongest umami taste. A comprehensive evaluation model for chicken broth quality was established by PCA as follows: Y = (0.6224Y₁ + 0.25589Y₂)/0.87829 and was verified by cluster analysis. Fast-growing yellow-feathered broiler broth was found to have the best comprehensive quality. In conclusion, fast-growing yellow-feathered broilers were most suitable for making chicken broth, followed by medium-growing and slow-growing yellow-feathered broilers, and spent broiler breeders were least suitable for making chicken broth.