In hospitals and welfare facilities, the cook-chill system is increasingly being used for food services. However, variations in The component properties and palatability of reheated foods depending on the primary heating time have not been fully examined.
In this study, chicken wing sticks primarily heated for 30 min (Condition A) and 90 min （Condition B）were compared. The weight and total/insoluble collagen levels in the skin part were higher both after primary heating and reheating when cooked under Condition A compared with Condition B. As the skin covers the surface, primary heating time may markedly influence these properties. The sugar content of the skin part was lower after primary heating under Condition A compared with Condition B, but no ifferences were apparent after reheating. No difference in salt content was seen between conditions.
Weight and moisture levels of the meat part were higher after primary heating under
Condition A compared with Condition B, but no differences were evident after reheating, revealing no influence of primary heating time on either total collagen or fat level. Sugar and salt contents of the meat part were lower after primary heating under Condition A compared with Condition B, but no differences between them were seen after reheating, indicating that seasonings had
penetrated the chicken during preservation.
Furthermore, on sensory evaluation, no significant differences in palatability were identified between Conditions A and B. As the proportion of meat is higher than that of skin, variations in component properties of the skin may not have influenced the palatability of samples cooked under these conditions.
These results suggest the need to set heating times in consideration of changes in
component properties after primary heating and the degree of seasoning penetration after reheating.