Effects of dietary sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) oil and medicinal plant powder supplementation on growth performance, carcass traits, and breast meat quality of colored broiler chickens raised in Vietnam

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of replacing dietary soybean oil (SBO) with sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) oil (SIO) supplemented or not with medicinal plant powder (MP, 60% cinnamon twig, and 40% star anise fruits) on broiler performance, carcass traits, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) content of breast meat. A total of 288 Ho × Luong Phuong broiler chickens (age and average body weight: 6 weeks old and 877 ± 13.4 g) were equally divided into three groups (6 replicates of 16 birds each), balanced by BW and sex. Each group was randomly allocated to one of three dietary treatments: a 2% SBO diet (CON), a 2% SIO diet (SI), and a diet supplemented with 2% SIO and 1% MP (SIM). The experiment lasted for 70 days. Broiler performance, carcass traits, and technological meat quality were not affected by the diets (P > 0.05). However, colored broiler chickens fed the SIM diet had increased empty gizzard percentage (P < 0.05) compared to those fed the CON diet. Especially, the n-3 PUFA content of breast meat from broiler chickens fed diets containing SIO was higher than those of birds fed CON diet (P < 0.01). A significant decrease in cholesterol content was observed (P < 0.01) in broilers fed SIM diet compared to those fed CON diet. In conclusion, replacing 2% SBO with 2% SIO and 1% MP supplementation in broiler diets increased n-3 PUFA content and decreased cholesterol content in breast meat, without negative effects on bird performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Therefore, a combination of SIO and MP can be used as an effective strategy to ameliorate the meat quality of finishing broiler chickens by enhancing n-3 PUFA content and reducing the cholesterol content of breast meat.

compounds on growth performance, antioxidant status, and lipid parameters breast meat quality of Chinese Huainan partridge chicks in winter cold stress

BACKGROUND

Both selenium (Se) and probiotic Bacillus regulate the metabolism to help defense clod stress and improve the meat quality in breeding chicks. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplemental Se and Bacillus in the form of Se-enriched Bacillus (SECB) on the growth performance, lipid parameters, breast Se and antibiotic levels, and breast meat quality of chicken in winter cold stress.

METHODS

Five hundred 1-d-old chickens were divided into five groups randomly: Control, inorganic Se, compound Bacillus, SECB, and antibiotic. The feed duration was 56 d.

RESULTS

After 28 d of treatment, chicks feed SECB or compound Bacillus had higher body weights than the control, and after 56 d, chicks given either SECB or compound Bacillus had higher body weights than the control chicks or those given inorganic Se. Adding SECB to feed significantly increased the lightness, redness, and yellowness of breast meat, improved the water-holding capacity, and reduced the shear force and cooking loss. The concentration of Se in the breast muscle very significantly increased after SECB and inorganic Se supplementation, which was opposite to the concentration of flavomycin in antibiotic supplemented chicks. The antioxidative status of plasma and breast meat was significantly improved with added compound Bacillus and SECB: the total antioxidant capacity, total superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase ability in the breast muscle significantly improved, and the malondialdehyde concentration in plasma decreased. The levels of total cholesterol plasma triglyceride and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the plasma and breast muscle was decreased compared to that of the control, while the plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration increased.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, SECB supplementation promoted the body growth, antioxidative status, and Se concentrations in the plasma and breast meat, and also improved the breast meat quality.

Freezing-thawing and sub-sampling influence the marination performance of chicken breast meat

Vacuum-tumbling marination is often used to improve the yield and quality of whole or portioned broiler breast fillets. The relationship between the marination performance of whole Pectoralis major muscles and breast fillet sub-samples is not well understood. The objective was to determine the effects of sub-sampling and freezing-thawing on the marination performance and cook loss of broiler breast meat. Paired right and left breast fillets were marinated as whole fillets or sub-samples (cranial and mid-caudal portions). Samples were marinated at 48 h postmortem (fresh) or stored at -20°C and then thawed prior to marination (frozen-thawed). Samples were vacuum-tumbled in 20% wt/wt brine (5% NaCl, 3% STP) and weighed pre-marination, during marination (15, 30, and 45 min), and 24 h post-marination. Samples were then cooked to 75°C for determination of cook loss. Marinade uptake was greater in caudal sub-samples than intact fillets and cranial sub-samples after 15 min of marination (P < 0.0001). After 30 min, marinade uptake was greater in caudal sub-samples and intact fillets than cranial sub-samples (P < 0.05). After 45 min, marinade uptake for fresh samples was greatest in intact fillets and lowest in cranial sub-samples. For frozen-thawed samples, marinade uptake at 45 min was greater in caudal sub-samples and intact fillets than cranial sub-samples (P < 0.0001). Marinade uptake in sub-samples at 30 min was greater in frozen-thawed versus fresh fillets (P < 0.05). Differences in marinade retention were not observed. Cook loss was similar between fresh and frozen-thawed samples but was greater in sub-samples compared to intact fillets (P < 0.0001). Correlations between marinade uptake in intact fillets and cranial sub-samples were greater in fresh (r = 0.64 to 0.78) than frozen-thawed samples (r = 0.39 to 0.59). Correlations between marinade uptake in intact fillets and caudal sub-samples were greater in frozen-thawed (r = 0.79 to 0.82) than fresh samples (r = 0.46 to 0.63). Data suggest that the relationships between marination performance of whole breast fillets and fillet sub-samples are dependent upon prior sample handling and intra-fillet sampling location.

The effects of copper-glycine complexes on chemical composition and sensory attributes of raw, cooked and grilled chicken meat

To determine the influence of glycine-Cu chelates (Gly-Cu) on chemical composition and sensory characteristic of chickens meat, two hundred of Ross 308 broilers were fed diets containing 16 mg kg(-1) of copper sulfate (S-Cu; control group) or 16, 8 and 4 mg/kg of Cu-glycine chelate (Gly-Cu). The chemical composition was determined in crude and prepared (cooked and grilled) breast and thigh samples. No significant influence of Gly-Cu on the content of the protein, fat and ash in the breast meat was found. Substituting S-Cu with Gly-Cu at different doses in feed did not significantly modify the fatty acids profile of the meat. The breast meat from chickens administered with Gly-Cu contained significantly less cholesterol than that in S-Cu. No different effect of the experimental agent was observed regarding the content of Cu, Zn and Ca in the breast meat, while in chickens from all the groups administered Gly-Cu there was more significantly Fe (P < 0.01) in comparison with the S-Cu group. The thigh meat revealed significantly (P < 0.01) higher levels of Zn and Ca in comparison with the 16 mg S-Cu group. No significant effect of the diet on the sensory characteristics of the meat was observed.