Effect of chicken breast meat proportions on emulsion stability, textural properties and sensory attributes of spent laying duck sausages

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal ratio of chicken breast meat (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) incorporated into spent laying duck meat sausages to enhance emulsion stability, texture, overall quality, and sensory attributes of the cooked products. Five sausage formulations were evaluated: a control group made entirely from spent laying duck meat (CON) and four groups containing 25% (CB25), 50% (CB50), 75% (CB75), and 100% (CB100) chicken breast meat. The moisture contents of CB25, CB50, and CB75 were higher than those of CON and CB100, likely due to their superior cooking yields (P < 0.05). CB50 and CB75 demonstrated higher emulsion stability compared to other groups. Weight loss during cooking was significantly lower in CB50, CB75, and CB100 compared to CON and CB25 (P < 0.05), reflecting improved water holding capacity. Microstructure analysis revealed a more homogeneous structure with fewer and smaller voids in CB50, CB75, and CB100, which correlated with enhanced water holding capacity, gel strength, and hardness relative to CON and CB25. Sensory evaluation indicated that CB50, CB75, and CB100 received higher overall liking scores than CON and CB25 (P < 0.05). The higher proportions of chicken breast in CB75 and CB100 resulted in brighter color, which slightly reduced color scores, although differences were not significant (P ≥ 0.05). The findings suggest that a 50:50 ratio of chicken breast to spent laying duck meat (CB50) improves sausage quality without compromising consumer liking. This ratio also offers a cost-effective approach for utilizing spent laying duck meat.