Effect of Sucrose Stearate on the Sensory-Related Quality of the Broth and Porridge of Ready-To-Eat Ginseng Chicken Soup Samgyetang

The objective of this study was to assess the sensory-related characteristics of the broth and porridge of ready-to-eat (RTE) ginseng chicken soup (Samgyetang) with sucrose stearate added at various concentrations (0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%) during storage at $25^{\circ}C$ for 12 mon. Scores indicating the lightness and size of fat droplets in the broth increased during storage as the sucrose stearate concentration increased, while the clarity scores decreased until 9 mon and the taste scores decreased throughout the storage period (p<0.05). The porridge lightness increased as the concentration of sucrose stearate increased after 6 mon (p<0.05), while scores indicating the softness and vividness were higher for treated samples with sucrose stearate than for the control group after 3 mon, despite a lack of significant differences among treatment groups (p>0.05). The taste scores were lower for treated porridge samples than for the control group (p<0.05), even though no significant differences were observed among the treatment groups (p>0.05). The addition of sucrose stearate to the RTE Samgyetang broth improved the lightness (CIE $L^*$) value of the broth and various sensory palatability parameters, including the color and fat droplet size of the broth and the softness and vividness of the porridge, despite reductions in broth clarity and taste scores for the broth and porridge during storage.