Influence of Low Glucosinolate (cv. Tower) Rapeseed Meal on the Eating Quality of Broiler Chickens. II. Subjective Evaluation by a Consumer Panel

Abstract

The eating quality of eight-week-old White Mountain X Hubbard broiler chickens fed four commercial-type rations was evaluated by 146 consumer households. The rations were: a soybean meal control ration (SBM), a 20% Tower rapeseed meal ration (RSM), a soybean meal ration with 5% herring meal, .1% DL methionine, and .05% choline chloride (SBMHM), and a 20% Tower rapeseed meal ration with 5% herring meal, 1% DL methionine, and .05% choline chloride (RSMHM). Participants received four coded frozen half-chickens (one representing each ration treatment) and were instructed to cook each defrosted chicken half. Consumer panelists scored the odor, flavor, and overall acceptability of the chickens and then ranked the chickens in order of preference. Generally chickens fed the RSM ration received scores that were similar to those of comparable samples from chickens fed the SMB ration. The odor intensity of chicken representing the RSM treatment was rated lower (P<.05) than that of SMB chickens. Chickens raised on the RSMHM diet also received palatability scores which were similar to those for chickens fed the control ration or the ration containing 20% Tower rapeseed meal. Chickens fed the SBMHM ration received significantly lower odor intenstiy and flavor (intensity and like/dislike) scores than chickens fed the SBM ration. These findings suggest that the eating qualtiy of chickens was not affected by the inclusion of 20% Tower rapeseed meal in the rations. Inclusion of 5% herring meal along with supplemental methionine and choline in the SMB ration resulted in chickens with slightly lower eating quality scores, but the meat was judged to be acceptable in eating quality.