Stunting remains a significant public health issue in Indonesia, where inadequate nutrient intake during complementary feeding contributes to impaired growth in infants and young children. This study compared the nutritional composition, sensory acceptability, and storage stability of broth prepared from free-range and broiler chickens to assess its potential as a supplementary complementary food (MPASI). Proximate analysis showed that free-range chicken broth contained higher protein (1.93% vs. 0.96%), ash (0.19% vs. 0.08%), and carbohydrate (1.05% vs. 0.58%) contents than broiler broth, which exhibited higher moisture (99.12% vs. 97.00%) and fat (1.23% vs. 1.09%). Hedonic testing with 30 panelists demonstrated superior acceptability for free-range broth across all sensory attributes, including color, umami taste, chicken flavor, viscosity, and aftertaste. Shelf-life evaluation under refrigeration (4°C) revealed that free-range broth maintained acceptable sensory and microbiological quality for up to five days, compared to four days for broiler broth. These findings indicate that free-range chicken broth is nutritionally superior, organoleptically preferred, and slightly more stable during storage, with potential implications for integration into complementary feeding strategies aimed at stunting prevention. Further studies should explore clinical outcomes and large-scale feasibility in community settings.
Imaniar et al. (2026) studied this question.