Flavor Evaluation of Chicken Meat from Broilers Fed Narasin

Abstract

Flavor comparisons were made using triangle difference and consumer preference tests to compare meat samples from broilers fed a commercial ration without an anticoccidial agent to those from broilers fed narasin, an anticoccidial agent.Two hundred, day-old chicks were divided in two pens of 50 males each and two pens of 50 females each. Within each sex, one pen was fed commercial broiler starter and grower rations while the other pen was fed a similar ration supplemented with narasin at 80 mg/kg diet. There were no significant differences in growth, feed efficiency, or mortality between the two feeding regimens. Medicated feed was withdrawn 72 hr prior to slaughter at 49 days of age.The meat was evaluated by both a sensory panel and a consumer panel. Meat was prepared for flavor evaluation by the sensory panel either by pressure deep fat frying or by oven roasting. Sensory panel evaluations were made on freshly cooked product and on cooked meat refrigerated for 24 hr and reheated in a conventional oven to 45 C prior to evaluation. Consumer panelists were served only fried chicken shortly after cooking.No flavor differences were detected by the sensory panel with freshly cooked or reheated chicken. The consumer panel forced-choice test indicated no preference. Narasin fed at 80 ppm in feed with a 72 hr withdrawal does not alter the flavor of fried or roasted chicken within the limits of methods used.