The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of caponization on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of rooster and capon meat (2 Portuguese autochthonous chicken breeds of roosters: Amarela and Pedrês), raised under the same production. The birds were castrated at 9 wk of age and bred until 140 d of age. Forty Amarela (20 roosters and 20 capons - castrated male) and 40 Pedrês Portuguesa (20 roosters and 20 capons) breed chickens, 5 free-range chickens, and 5 broilers were used. From the breast, leg, and wing muscles, physicochemical parameters such as pH, water activity (a w ), physical color, moisture content, ash, CP, pigments, collagen, and total fat and fatty acids profile, were analyzed according to standard procedures. Caponization did not affect pH, a w , lightness (L*), yellowness (b*), ash, protein, collagen, saturated fatty acids (SFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA)/SFA. Results show that caponization decreased (P = 0.05) moisture content and increased (P = 0.05) pigments and intramuscular fat content. Capons showed higher (P = 0.001) redness (a*) and chroma (C*), and lower (P = 0.001) hue (H*) compared to roosters. Caponization increased (P = 0.05) monounsaturated fatty acids content and PUFA/SFA. The main fatty acids found were oleic (C18:1), palmitic (C16:0), and linoleic (C18:2). Capons had greater (P = 0.05) C18:1 content but lower (P = 0.01) butyric acid (C4:0), caprylic acid (C8:0), stearic acid (C18:0), and (P = 0.05) arachidonic acid (C20.4) content than roosters. The objective of sensory analysis was making the comparison of the Amarela and Pedrês meat with a free-range chicken and a broiler. Panelists classified the capon meat (Amarela and Pedrês) as juicier and less tough and fibrous than rooster meat. Broilers were in general juicier, tenderer, and less fibrous than the other chickens in this study. The results of sensory evaluation complement those obtained in physicochemical analysis, suggesting that caponization promotes an overall improvement in meat quality.
