Effects of Different Chicken Breeds on the Multidimensional Quality Characteristics of Wenshan Diced Chicken and Optimal Breed Selection

This study systematically explored the effects of different chicken breeds on the flavor and quality of Wenshan diced chicken, a classic Jiangxi dish, aiming to provide a scientific basis for raw material selection in its industrialized and standardized processing. Gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and an electronic nose were used to analyze the volatile flavor compounds in Wenshan diced chicken prepared from three breeds (three-yellow chicken, white-feathered broilers, and yellow-feathered broilers), their free amino acid composition was analyzed and their taste characteristics were evaluated using an electronic tongue. Based on the obtained data, we systematically compared the differences in their flavor characteristics and eating quality. The results showed that Wenshan diced chicken made from three-yellow chicken had significant advantages in eating quality: its b* value (24.2) was significantly higher than those from white-feathered broilers (19.21) and yellow-feathered broilers (19.78) (P < 0.05); its texture indicators such as shear force and chewiness were superior to those of the other two breeds. Taste analysis showed that the contents of umami and sweet amino acids in cooked three-yellow chicken were significantly higher than those in the other breeds. The total umami amino acid content was 93.73 mg/100 g, which was 71.70% and 382.65% higher than those of cooked white-feathered and yellow-feathered broilers, respectively; the total sweet amino acid content was 126.89 mg/100 g, which was 55.58% and 58.22% higher than those of the two breeds, respectively, with the most significant differences in glutamic acid and alanine contents (P < 0.05). The electronic tongue analysis showed that Wenshan diced chicken made from three-yellow chicken exhibited the best umami response. Significant differences in flavor profiles were observed between raw and cooked samples for all breeds. A total of 100 volatile flavor components were identified, and 17 key flavor compounds with odor activity value (OAV) > 1 were selected. The differences in the types and contents of aldehydes and alcohols were the major factors contributing to different flavor profiles; hexanal, nonanal and 1-octen-3-ol were identified as key flavor substances based on variable importance in projection (VIP) scores. Sensory evaluation showed that the dish made from three-yellow chicken received the highest scores for aroma, mouthfeel, taste, and overall acceptability. In conclusion, chicken breed significantly affects the flavor and quality of stir-fried dishes, and three-yellow chicken offers advantages in taste, flavor substance content, eating quality and sensory properties.