This study investigated the effects of microwave (MW) reheating, water boiling (WB) reheating, and steaming (ST) reheating on the quality attributes (including reheating loss, moisture content, centrifugal loss, water distribution, color, texture, microstructure, flavor, and taste) of pre-cooked braised chicken (PBC), using a non-reheated group as a control (C). The results showed that the ST group demonstrated the lowest reheating loss, and that ST reheating had the least influence on textural characteristics among all the reheating methods. In addition, the results of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that the integrity of the muscle fibers in the ST group was most comparable to the C group. Meanwhile, the aroma of the ST group was similar to that of the other reheating groups, and it exhibited a greater taste intensity. The ST treatment emerges as a viable reheating method for preserving the quality characteristics of PBC.

This study aimed to characterize the physicochemical, structural, and volatile compound changes in commercially sterilized pre-cooked braised chicken (PBC) during storage at 25 °C, using analyses conducted every 30 days from 30 to 180 days. Assessed parameters included microstructure, color, texture, pH, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, Ca²⁺-ATPase activity, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Significant quality changes occurred during storage. Specifically, the L* value decreased, and the a* value increased, while hardness, springiness, chewiness, and Ca²⁺-ATPase activity declined. pH increased from 6.01 to 6.59, and MDA content rose from 10.16 to 23.42 nmol/g. 91 VOCs were identified by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), comprising 13 alcohols, 18 aldehydes, 18 ketones, 3 acids, 9 esters, 12 hydrocarbons, 6 aromatics, and 12 others. VOC profiles shifted dynamically: key aldehydes and ketones decreased initially, then increased, whereas alcohols, esters, hydrocarbons, and sulfur-containing compounds increased, then decreased. Prolonged storage significantly deteriorated the quality and altered the flavor profile, providing insights for PBC storage.