Enzymatically Pre-treated Cordyceps militaris Mushroom Extracts Influences Spent Hen Chicken Meat Stability during Cold Storage

Abstract Evaluations were conducted on storage stability of old laying hen chicken breast following treatment using Cordyceps militaris (CM) mushroom extracts and hydrolyzed CM mushroom extract produced with a bromelain eznyme from pineapple stem. A total of Forty-two spent hen breast samples that had their fat removed were subjected to each of the four treatments: (1) no addition as a negative control (NC); (2) Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as positive control; (3) CM extract solution (CME); and (4) hydrolyzed mushroom extract prepared with the bromelain enzyme (STB). The pH value of all treatment groups maintained a significantly lower level across storage days, except treatment with STB resulted in an acceptable (6.09) pH value up to 9 days of cold storage. Subsequently, breast samples treated with STB (41.23%) possessed the highest antioxidant activity, followed by CME (32.17%), BHT (32.97%), and NC (6.11%) after the initial storage day. These results displayed a limited effect from treatment using enzymolyzed CM on meat’s instrumental surface color. This study recommended that immersing breast meat into hydrolyzed CM mushroom prior application using (STB) could be a robust alternative for improvement of spent hen breast meat during storage.