Broiler Breast Meat Quality Research Articles

Influence of different levels of black soldier fly larvae meal on growth performance and carcass quality of broiler chickens

A study was conducted to examine the impact of two inclusion levels of Black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) replacing soybean meal on growth performance, nutrient utilization, carcass characteristics and meat quality of broilers. Three experimental diets based on corn-soybean meal were developed to contain 0 (control), 6 (BSF 6) and 12% (BSF 12) BSFLMfor both starter and grower phases. Each experimental diet was randomly allotted to six replicate pens (eight birds per pen). The birds were offered starter pellets from 0 to 14 day post-hatch and grower pellets from 15 to 28 day post-hatch. The experimental diets were tested for pellet durability index (PDI). There was an interaction between diet and growth phase (P < 0.001) for pellet durability index where starter diets had always a higher PDI than the grower diets, but the difference was greater for control diet than BSF 6 and BSF 12 diets. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME) of diets and coefficients of apparent ileal digestibility (CAID) of nutrients were measured on day 28 using titanium dioxide marker ratios in the diet and excreta/ileal digesta. On day 28, the weights of live body, carcass, fat pad, breast and gizzard were recorded, and then breast meat quality (meat pH, drip loss and cooking loss) was examined. Inclusion of BSFLM of up to 12% did not reduce live weight gain or feed intake. Live weight and carcass weight were heavier in broilers fed 12% BSFLM than controls (P < 0.02), but were not different than those fed 6%, while controls were not different than those fed 6%. Breast weight (percentage live weight) was lower in birds offered 12% BSFL than in others (P < 0.04). No differences were observed between diets for the percentage weight as carcass, fat, pad and gizzard. The AME and AMEc of diets were the highest in broilers fed 6% BSFLM diet (P < 0.005), but there were no differences between controls and those fed 12% BSFLM. The CAID of DM, ash and N in birds fed 6% BSFLM were greater than (P < 0.03) birds fed 12%, but were not different than controls, which were also not different than those fed 12%. Broiler breast meat quality was unaffected by dietary treatments. In conclusion, BSFLM at 12% can be used effectively as a SBM replacement in starter and grower diets, without affecting the growth performance, nutrient utilization, carcass characteristics and meat quality of broiler chickens.

Effects of chronic heat stress on Ca2+ homeostasis, apoptosis, and protein carbonylation profiles in the breast muscle of broilers

Heat stress (HS) largely impairs the quality of broiler breast meat through protein oxidative modification. This study aimed to investigate the carbonylation pattern of Ca2+ channels and apoptotic proteins in the breast muscle of heat-stressed broilers. A total of 144 twenty-eight-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into three treatment groups. The normal control (NC) group was kept at 22°C and provided with unlimited feed. The HS group was exposed to 32°C and provided with unlimited feed. The pair-fed (PF) group was kept at 22°C and given an amount of feed equivalent to that consumed by the HS group on the previous day. Results showed that broilers under HS conditions had a higher respiratory rate than those in NC and PF groups (P < 0.05). HS disrupted the morphology and structure of breast muscle fibers by decreasing the average diameters and average density of myofibers compared to the NC group (P < 0.05). HS increased the mean fluorescence intensity of the positive carbonyl signal in breast muscle compared with the NC group (P < 0.05). Besides, the pectoral Ca2+ concentration in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, cytoplasm, and mitochondria was elevated by HS when compared with the NC group (P < 0.05). In comparison to the NC and PF groups, HS increased the apoptosis rate and caspase-3 activity in the breast muscle (P < 0.05). Furthermore, HS elevated the relative protein expressions of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger 1, and sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium transport ATPase 1 compared to the NC group (P < 0.05). Higher relative protein expression of μ-calpain and lower relative protein expression of cytosolic cytochrome complex were found in the HS group than the NC group (P < 0.05). HS decreased the carbonylation levels of transient receptor potential canonical 1 and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor compared to the NC group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the carbonylation levels of cleaved caspase-3 and precursor caspase-9 were increased and decreased, respectively, by HS treatment compared to the NC group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, HS damages the myofiber based on Ca2+ dyshomeostasis and apoptosis, which are potentially associated with protein carbonylation. These results shed new light on the possible mechanism behind the development of poor meat quality in broilers due to HS.

PSVI-10 Effects of dietary supplementation of purslane (Portulaca oleraceae), prebiotics, and probiotics on breast meat quality of broilers

Abstract Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) used in animal production are considered one of the major causes of antibiotic resistance. Dietary supplements such as pre- and pro-biotics have been known for gut health and immune response improvement and proposed as alternatives to AGPs. Purslane (Portulaca oleraceae) is a leafy vegetable containing increased concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, making it a potential dietary supplement for poultry. This study aimed to determine the effect of dietary supplementations of purslane, prebiotic, and probiotic alone and in combination on broiler breast meat quality. Broiler chicks (n = 350 Ross 708; 1-d of age) were randomly assigned to 35 pens (7 pens/treatment, 5 male and female birds/pen). Birds were raised for 40 d and fed 1 of 5 dietary treatments: 1) negative control (NC), a corn/soybean basal diet, 2) T1, NC with 2.5% purslane, 3) T2, T1 with prebiotic (mannan-oligosaccharides) at 2 kg/tonne, 4) T3, T1 with probiotic (Bacillus subtilis DSM 32315), or 5) T4, T1 with prebiotic and probiotic. At d 41, 2 males and 2 females/pen were slaughtered, and breast meat was harvested 24 h postmortem. Meat quality parameters, including pH, color, protein solubility, functional properties (drip loss, water holding capacity, marinade uptake, and cooking yield), textural properties, lipid oxidation, and fatty acids profiles in breast meat were determined. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA with Duncan’s multiple range test for mean comparison. Because of no interactions between treatment and sex, the main effects were evaluated. No significant differences were found between breast meat from NC-fed and treatment-fed broilers in most meat quality parameters, except for marinade uptake, lipid oxidation, and fatty acid profiles. Marinade uptakes of meat from NC, T1, and T2-fed broilers were significantly greater than those from T3- and T4-fed (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Lipid oxidation in cooked meat from treatment-fed broilers was significantly less than those from NC-fed (P &amp;lt; 0.05) after 7 d of storage, probably due to antioxidants in purslane. The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content in meat from T4-fed broilers was significantly greater than that of NC-fed (P &amp;lt; 0.05), suggesting that pro-/pre-biotics could promote the absorption of omega-3 fatty acids from purslane. Breast meat from female broilers did not show any differences from those from male broilers in color, lipid oxidation, fatty acid profiles, and texture, except for shear force and energy. Functional properties and shear force and energy of breast meat from female broilers were significantly greater than those from male broilers (P &amp;lt; 0.05), probably due to its higher pH and protein solubility (P &amp;lt; 0.05). These results suggested that the dietary supplementation of purslane, pre-, and pro-biotics in combination can enhance oxidative stability and fatty acid profiles of breast meat of broilers in addition to their potential impacts on broiler health and productivity.

Effects of finisher diet nutrients density and slaughter age on energy and protein efficiency, productive and economic performance and meat quality of broilers.

The current broilers have been greatly optimized for weight gain and breast yield, which necessitates the provision of nutrients-dense diets for maximum potential. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of finisher diet nutrients density (ND) on energy and protein efficiency, productive and economic performance and breast meat quality of broilers raised until different slaughter age. A total of 600 23-day-old broiler male chicks (Cobb-500) were assigned to 10 treatments with six replicates and 10 birds each. Experimental treatments were included factorial arrangement of five increment (2.5%) levels of finisher diet ND (92.5%, 95%, 97.5%, 100% and 102.5% as strain recommendation) and slaughtered at 38 or 46 days of age. The relative difference in the energy level of experimental diets was used to increase ND levels at the same ratio. Feed intake (FI) and breast meat quality traits exception water holding capacity (WHC) were not affected by finisher diet ND. In response to increasing finisher diet ND, energy and protein efficiency, productive traits, bio-economic index (BEI) and breast relative weight (BRW) linearly improved. However, residual feed intake and breast meat WHC improved with a quadratic trend. By using broken-line regression analysis, the optimum dietary ND was obtained at 97.5%-102% of strain recommendation. Energy and protein efficiency, feed conversion ratio and BEI deteriorated by prolonging rearing period. The BRW, meat lightness (L*), redness (a*), hue angle (h*) and WHC values for the birds slaughtered at 46 days of age were significantly higher, and cooking loss was lower than those slaughtered at 38 days old. Broilers during the finisher period are not able to regulate their FIs with diet ND. The energy and protein efficiency, productive and economic performance were reduced when broilers were fed diluted diet or the rearing period was prolonged.

Effects of Gum Arabic (Acacia senegal) Powder on Characteristics of Carcass and Breast Meat Quality Parameters in Male Broiler Chickens.

Gum Arabic, one of the soluble fibers, is considered a source of natural prebiotics that can be fermented by the activity of the intestinal microbiota and, therefore, may have a positive effect on the performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of broilers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of gum Arabic on performance, carcass characteristics, physicochemical properties, and quality of broiler breast meat. Six dietary treatments (T1-T5) with a basal diet (CON) containing 0.12%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.0% gum Arabic, respectively. A total of 432 one-day-old male broiler chickens were conducted for 35 days. Performance and carcass characteristics, as well as physical, qualitative, and chemical indicators of breast meat, were evaluated. The results showed that the treatments improved overall performance (p < 0.05), such as body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and performance index, except for feed intake, which was lower at T1, T2, and T5 than at CON. Carcass characteristics, body components, and breast meat color or initial pH were not affected by dietary treatments (p > 0.05), but ultimate pH (T1 and T2) and color lightness were comparatively lower, and color change (T2-T3) was comparatively higher. Cooking water loss (T2-T4) and shear force (T1-T5) were higher in the treatments. Cohesiveness and resilience were higher in T2, while gumminess and chewiness were lower in T4 and T5. T1 breast meat had higher crude protein content and lower crude fat content, but the other chemical compositions were not affected by the treatments. Some fatty acids in the breast meat were more affected by treatments compared to CON. In conclusion, the present findings showed that gum Arabic (0.12% to 0.75%) has favorable effects on growth performance and some quality indicators of breast meat (such as cooking water loss, shear force, protein, and fat content), especially at the level of 0.12% with no alterations on the carcass characteristics and body components or physical indicators of breast meat.

A survey of broiler breast meat quality in the retail market of Quebec

In this study, 206 breast fillets were purchased from grocery stores in the province of Quebec and evaluated for the presence of different quality defects. Of these fillets, 48.5% showed breast muscle myopathies (BMM), 19.4% showed pale, soft, and exudative (PSE), and 6.8% showed dark, firm, and dry (DFD) attributes. BMM were equally present ( P &gt; 0.05) in fillets of economical, commercial, and high-quality brands, while PSE-like fillets were more present in economical brands ( P &lt; 0.0001). The combined effect of BMM and DFD induced significantly higher counts of Salmonella ( P = 0.03) and Enterobacteriaceae ( P = 0.03) in myopathic than in unaffected fillets. These quality defects also altered the nutritional quality of breast meat: BMM-affected fillets had greater fat content ( P &lt; 0.0001) and DFD fillets had lower protein content ( P = 0.041) than normal fillets. The technological quality was only slightly impacted by BMM, while PSE-like fillets had higher cooking loss ( P = 0.009) and a tougher texture after cooking ( P &lt; 0.0001) than DFD fillets. For the first time, this study confirmed the presence of multiple quality issues in the Quebec poultry supply chain, and provided valuable data to support future research efforts.

The Effectiveness of Marination with Fermented Coconut Water on Physical, Microbic, and Organoleptic Quality of Broiler Breast Meat

The Effectiveness of Marination with Fermented Coconut Water on Physical, Microbic, and Organoleptic Quality of Broiler Breast Meat

Chemical and physical quality of broiler meat with drinking water containing boiled and fermented water of various cooking spices as phytobiotics

The chemical and physical quality of broiler breast meat usually be improved by soaking the meat in a solution of cooking spices, but in here, the spices is used a solution were given to drinking water. This study aims to know its effect on the pH value, water content, fat content, and cooking loss. The design of research used a CRD with 9 treatments and 3 replications. The treatment given was broiler drinking water with the addition of: K0 (control); K1-K4 as afermented and K5-K8 is a boiled of cooking spice solution. The total use of various cooking spice is 125 g/L of mixing water of the broilers daily drinking water needs. The result of Anova showed that the addition of cooking spice had a very significanteffect on the levels of pH, water content, fat content and cooking loss of broiler meat. It can be concluded that the use of cooking spices especially based on garlic and Kaempferia galanga can be used during broiler rearing as a feed additive to improve meat quality in drinking water because it is effective in reducing pH, water, fat content and cooking losses.

Effects of Pig Skin Collagen Supplementation on Broiler Breast Meat.

This study aimed to enhance the quality of broiler breast meat by adding pig skin collagen to feed. A total of 50 Ross 308 broilers were classified according to the following feeding regime for two weeks: basal diet (NC), basal diet+0.1% fish collagen (PC), basal diet+0.1% pig skin collagen (T1), basal diet+0.5% pig skin collagen (T2), and basal diet+1.0% pig skin collagen (T3). The moisture content was the highest in the PC group, and the protein content was the lowest in the T1 group (p<0.05). The fat content was higher in the T1 and PC groups, whereas the ash content was higher in the T3 group (p<0.05). Drip loss was the highest in the NC group and the lowest in the T2 group (p<0.05). Lightness was low in groups T2 and T3, redness was low in groups T2 and PC, and yellowness was low in groups T1, T2, and PC (p<0.05). The collagen content of the chicken breast was the highest in the T3 group, and that of the skin was the highest in the T1 group (p<0.05). The texture characteristics of springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and hardness were the highest in the T3 group (p<0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of a broiler diet with pig skin collagen was found to increase the collagen content of the breast meat, indicating the improved quality of the broiler breast meat.

Evaluation of Chemical Composition and Meat Quality of Breast Muscle in Broilers Reared under Light-Emitting Diode.

Simple SummaryThe present study was designed to investigate the role of three different light-emitting diode (LED) light color temperatures (Neutral, Cool, and Warm) on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and breast meat quality of broilers. No significant differences were observed in carcass yield in any of the experimental conditions. The changes observed in physical and chemical properties of breast meat samples suggest that LED light was not able to modify the quality of the products; therefore, it could represent a good alternative technology to traditional light sources.The present study was designed to investigate the role of three different light-emitting diode (LED) light color temperatures on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and breast meat quality of broilers. In our experimental condition, 180 chicks were randomly distributed into four environmentally controlled rooms (three replicates/treatment). The experimental design consisted of four light sources: neon (Control), Neutral (Neutral LED; K = 3500–3700), Cool (Cool LED; K = 5500–6000), and Warm (Warm LED; K = 3000–2500). Upon reaching the commercial weight (3.30 ± 0.20 kg live weight), 30 birds from each group were randomly selected, and live and carcass weight were evaluated to determinate the carcass yield. Following the slaughtering, samples of hemibreast meat were collected from each group and analyzed for physical and chemical properties, fatty acids composition, and volatile compounds. Live weight and carcass weight were negatively influenced by the Warm LED; however, no significant differences were observed in carcass yield in any of the experimental conditions. Higher drip loss values were detected in breast meat samples obtained by broilers reared under Neutral and Cool LEDs. In regard to the meat fatty acids profiles, higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) values were detected with the Warm LED; however, the ratio of PUFA/saturated fatty acids (SFA) did not change in any group. The evaluation of volatile profiles in cooked chicken meat led to the identification of 18 compounds belonging to the family of aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and phenolic compounds, both at 0 (T0) and 7 (T7) d after the cooking. The results of the present study suggest that the LED represents an alternative technology that is cheaper and more sustainable than traditional light sources, since it allows economic savings for poultry farming without significant alterations on the production parameters or the quality of the product.

Dietary taurine attenuates hydrogen peroxide-impaired growth performance and meat quality of broilers via modulating redox status and cell death signaling

Oxidative stress seriously affects poultry production. Nutritional manipulations have been effectively used to alleviate the negative effects caused by oxidative stress. This study investigated the attenuating effects and potential mechanisms of dietary taurine on the growth performance and meat quality of broiler chickens challenged with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Briefly, a total of 192 male Arbor Acres broilers (28 d old) were randomly categorized into three groups: non-injection of birds on basal diets (control), 10.0% H2O2 injection of birds on basal diets (H2O2), and 10.0% H2O2 injection of birds on basal diets supplemented with 5 g/kg taurine (H2O2 + taurine). Each group consisted of eight cages of eight birds per cage. Results indicated that H2O2 administration significantly reduced growth performance and impaired breast meat quality by decreasing ultimate pH and increasing shear force value (P < 0.05). Dietary taurine improved the body weight gain and feed intake and decreased feed/gain ratio of H2O2-challenged broilers. Meanwhile, oxidative stress induced by intraperitoneal injection of H2O2 suppressed the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling and initiated autophagy and apoptosis. Compared with the H2O2 group, taurine supplementation restored the redox status in the breast muscle by decreasing levels of reactive oxygen species and contents of oxidative products and increasing antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05). Moreover, upregulated mRNA expression of NF-κB signaling-related genes, including NF-κB subunit 1 (p50) and B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and enhanced protein expression of NF-κB were observed in the H2O2 + taurine group (P < 0.05). Additionally, dietary taurine decreased the expression of caspase family, beclin1, and microtubule-associated protein 1light chain 3 beta (LC3-II; P < 0.05), thereby rescuing autophagy and apoptosis in breast muscle induced by H2O2. Collectively, dietary supplementation with taurine effectively improves growth performance and breast meat quality of broilers challenged with H2O2, possibly by protecting against oxidative injury and modulating cell death signaling.

Effects of vitamin E, an oil blend and L-Arginine on breast meat from broiler chickens

The study examined the effects of supplementing vitamin E on the fatty acid profile and breast meat quality of broilers fed diets containing an oil blend and L-Arginine. Two hundred sixteen Cobb 500 one-day-old broilers were randomly allocated to six treatments, namely T1: 6% palm oil (control); T2: blend of 4% palm oil and 2% sunflower oil + 0.25% L-Arginine (positive control); T3: T2 with 20 mg/kg vitamin E added; T4: T2 with 50 mg/kg vitamin E added; T5: T2 with 100 mg/kg vitamin E added; and T6: T2 supplemented with 150 mg/kg vitamin E. Relative to T1, the other diets increased growth rate and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) similarly. Linoleic, arachidonic, and polyunsaturated fatty acids were greater and palmitic and saturated fatty acids were lower in the meat of birds fed T2–T6 relative to T1. Supplementation of vitamin E reduced drip loss (DL) and increased redness, tenderness, free thiol content, and the oxidative stability of meat during storage at 4 °C. Regardless of diet, free thiol, redness and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) value decreased significantly, whereas the carbonyl content, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and DL of breast meat increased over the ageing period. In conclusion, relative to T1, the other diets were effective in improving growth performance and meat quality during post-mortem storage&#x0D; Key words: fatty acid profile, free thiol, lipid oxidation, palm oil, protein oxidation, sunflower oil

Quality Differences in Traditional and Clean Label Chicken Patties Formulated with Woody Breast Meat

Wooden breast (WB) is a myopathy that affects the pectoralis major of broilers and negatively affects broiler breast meat quality, yields, and profits. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate quality differences between chicken patties that differed in the percentage of normal (% NOR) and severe (SEV) breast meat: 0% NOR, 33% NOR, 67% NOR, and 100% NOR. Patties were formulated with a control (salt), traditional (salt, sodium phosphate), or clean label (salt, potassium carbonate) marinade. A 3 × 4 factorial structure within a randomized complete block design with 3 replications was used to evaluate the effects of marinade (control, traditional, and clean label) and % NOR (0% NOR, 33% NOR, 67% NOR, and 100% NOR) on product quality. The 100% NOR patties had greater cook yields than 33% NOR and 0% NOR patties (P 6). Use of sodium phosphate increased protein bind and cook yields at all % NOR. Quality differences were still detectable in patties formulated with 67% or more WB, which will continue to cause yield losses and decreased quality in processed poultry products. However, if these yields and protein functionality deficiencies are acceptable to processors, it would be feasible to use either 33% or 67% SEV WB in the formulation of ground patties.

Transcriptional Profiles of Skeletal Muscle Associated With Increasing Severity of White Striping in Commercial Broilers.

Development of the white striping (WS) abnormality adversely impacts overall quality of broiler breast meat. Its etiology remains unclear. This study aimed at exploring transcriptional profiles of broiler skeletal muscles exhibiting different WS severity to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of WS. Total RNA was isolated from pectoralis major of male 7-week-old Ross 308 broilers. The samples were classified as mild (n = 6), moderate (n = 6), or severe (n = 4), based on number and thickness of the white striations on the meat surface. The transcriptome was profiled using a chicken gene expression microarray with one-color hybridization technique. Gene expression patterns of each WS severity level were compared against each other; hence, there were three comparisons: moderate vs. mild (C1), severe vs. moderate (C2), and severe vs. mild (C3). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the combined criteria of false discovery rate ≤ 0.05 and absolute fold change ≥1.2. Differential expression of 91, 136, and 294 transcripts were identified in C1, C2, and C3, respectively. There were no DEGs in common among the three comparisons. Based on pathway analysis, the enriched pathways of C1 were related with impaired homeostasis of macronutrients and small biochemical molecules with disrupted Ca2+-related pathways. Decreased abundance of the period circadian regulator suggested the shifted circadian phase when moderate WS developed. The enriched pathways uniquely obtained in C2 were RNA degradation, Ras signaling, cellular senescence, axon guidance, and salivary secretion. The DEGs identified in those pathways might play crucial roles in regulating cellular ion balances and cell-cycle arrest. In C3, the pathways responsible for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt signaling, p53 activation, apoptosis, and hypoxia-induced processes were modified. Additionally, pathways associated with a variety of diseases with the DEGs involved in regulation of [Ca2+], collagen formation, microtubule-based motor, and immune response were identified. Eight pathways were common to all three comparisons (i.e., calcium signaling, Ras-associated protein 1 signaling, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, vascular smooth muscle contraction, oxytocin signaling, and pathway in cancer). The current findings support the role of intracellular ion imbalance, particularly Ca2+, oxidative stress, and impaired programmed cell death on WS progression.

PSII-15 Effects of oxidized feed on productivity, plasma oxidative stress, and meat quality of broilers

Abstract High environmental temperature due to climate change can accelerate oxidation of feed during storage and preparation. Oxidized feed can cause elevated oxidative stress in live birds, resulting in decreased productivity and meat quality of broilers. The study was aimed to determine effects of feed containing oxidized oil on growth performance, plasma oxidative stress, and breast meat quality of broilers. Male broilers (192; Cobb500) at 21 days old were randomly allotted to 32 pens (8 pens/treatment) and raised for 21 days. The birds were fed feed containing fresh (Control) or oxidized corn oil (5%, Peroxide Value:140) with or without vitamin E (500 IU/kg feed) supplementation. Growth performance, oxidative stress markers in plasma collected at Day 42, and quality parameters of breast meat harvested at Day 43 were determined. Data were analyzed using proc glm and means were compared using Tukey’s studentized range (HSD) test. Oxidized feed and/or vitamin E supplementation did not affect growth performance and plasma DNA and protein oxidation. Oxidized feed significantly increased lipid oxidation and reduced total antioxidant capacity in plasma (P &amp;lt; 0.05) and, interestingly, dietary vitamin E made them worse (P &amp;lt; 0.05), indicating that oxidized lipids in feed can induce oxidative stress in live birds and vitamin E may act as a pro-oxidant in highly oxidized conditions. Although they did not affect sensory and functional properties of chicken breast meat, oxidized feed significantly increased lipid oxidation in cooked meat (P &amp;lt; 0.05) but dietary vitamin E considerably inhibited its development (P &amp;lt; 0.05), indicating that oxidized oil and vitamin E in feed can be accumulated in muscle and act as a pro- and anti-oxidants in meat, respectively. The results suggested that oxidized oil in feed can increase oxidative stress in live birds and susceptibility of breast meat to lipid oxidation, and dietary vitamin E can improve its oxidative stability.

Quality Differences in Wooden Breast Meat Marinated with Commercial Ingredients

ObjectivesWooden breast (WB) is a Pectoralis major muscle myopathy that impacts the quality of broiler breast meat, which is a current significant challenge for the poultry industry. While WB has been thoroughly researched in recent years, there has not been a resolution to this issue. Therefore, it is necessary to explore potential solutions to mitigate the undesirable characteristics of WB. The objective of this research was to evaluate differences in quality between chicken breasts classified as normal (NOR), moderately woody (MOD), and severely woody (SEV) that were marinated with control (water), traditional (sodium phosphate and salt), or clean label (potassium carbonate and salt) marinades.Materials and MethodsChicken breasts from broilers were graded NOR, MOD, SEV based on the severity of WB. Breasts were sized to 30 ± 2 mm to control variability in breast thickness. Three separate treatment marinades were applied to 40 lb batches of each WB severity 24 h postmortem. Treatments were tumbled for 30 min at 12 rpm under vacuum (20–25 mmHg). Tumble yields were measured. The breasts were individually frozen in a CO2 cabinet to –62.2°C and stored at –17.8°C. A 3 × 3 factorial structure within a randomized complete block design with 3 replications of 40 lbs (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3) were used to evaluate the impact of marinade (control, traditional, clean label) and WB severity (NOR, MOD, SEV) on tumble yields. Similarly, a 2 × 3 factorial structure was used to analyze the effect of marinade (traditional and clean label) and WB severity (NOR, MOD, SEV) on sensory attributes.ResultsWhen averaged over WB severity, the clean label marinade had a greater tumble yield (P &lt; 0.05) than the traditional marinade. When averaged over marinade, the NOR had a greater tumble yield (P &lt; 0.05) than the MOD and SEV treatments, which did not differ from each other (P &gt; 0.05).Descriptive sensory results revealed that both marinated SEV were crunchier and less tender (P &lt; 0.05) than MOD and NOR, and MOD was less tender (P &lt; 0.05) than NOR. The clean SEV was chewier (P &lt; 0.05) than all MOD and NOR treatments, but the traditional SEV was only chewier (P &lt; 0.05) than the NOR. Interaction was significant (P &lt; 0.05) for mushy, initial juiciness, and overall juiciness. These attributes differed (P &lt; 0.05) for WB severity but not marinade treatment. When averaged over marinade, NOR was mushier than the MOD, which was mushier than the SEV, and the SEV and MOD were juicier than NOR.Consumer acceptability results indicated that clean and traditional SEV were less acceptable (P &lt; 0.05) than MOD and traditional NOR; no difference (P &gt; 0.05) existed between MOD and NOR for both marinades. In addition, when averaging over WB severity, the traditional marinade was preferred (P &lt; 0.05) over the clean label marinade. Thus, differences in WB severities were more apparent in the clean label than the traditional marinade, which indicates that even though the clean label samples were tender, it may not be advisable to utilize that marinade formulation in place of traditional marinades with SEV woody breast meat.ConclusionThe use of salt and sodium phosphate or potassium carbonate in a marinade improves eating quality characteristics of MOD and SEV woody breast. However, differences remain between NOR and SEV in tenderness, gumminess and crunchiness that negatively impact the consumer acceptability of broiler breast meat.

Effects of extended deboning time on the breast meat quality of fast-growing big broilers

Fast-growing big broilers breast muscle often exhibits wooden breast and white striping myopathies causing meat quality issues such as high cook loss, tough texture, and lower marinade retention. Toughness of the meat and subsequent meat quality issues can also be due to unresolved rigor mortis and slow rate of post-mortem proteolysis. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of extended deboning times and storage on the quality of broiler breast meat. Broiler breast fillets (total n=810) obtained from a local poultry processor included freshly deboned (2-3h post slaughter) wooden and normal breast butterfly fillets from broilers&gt;8 lbs, breast fillets from medium sized birds (6-8lbs) as well as fillets deboned at extended post-slaughter times (16, 20 and 24h). Carcasses deboned at extended times (n=90/treatment) were stored at 4˚C. The left-side of the butterfly breast fillet was analyzed for color and cook loss immediately after deboning. Texture of cooked fillets was measured using the Blunt Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear (B-MORS) method. Statistical differences between the freshly deboned, extended deboned and stored fillets were determined using ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD at P&lt;0.05. Data indicated that the wooden breast fillets had a higher cook loss than normal fillets and the ones from medium sized broilers. Texture (peak force and shear energy) of the fillets from all the extended debone times was lower compared to the freshly deboned (2-3h post-slaughter) breast fillets indicating an increase in tenderness due to proteolysis. Results from the study can be used by the poultry companies to reduce the breast meat texture issues from fast-growing big broilers.

Dietary taurine supplementation enhances antioxidative capacity and improves breast meat quality of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT1. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of dietary taurine supplementation on growth performance, meat quality and antioxidant responses in breast muscle of broiler chickens.2. A total of 72 Arbor Acres broiler chickens (28-day-old) with similar body weight were randomly allocated into two groups, and fed either 0 g/kg (control; C) or 5 g/kg taurine-supplemented diets (TS) for 14 days.3. The results showed that TS had no effect on growth performance or chemical composition of breast muscle in broilers. The drip and cooking losses were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), and the pH24h of breast muscle were increased (P < 0.05) in the TS group. Meanwhile, broilers in the TS group exhibited significantly higher (P < 0.05) scavenging activities of superoxide and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals, and lower (P < 0.05) contents of carbonyl, malondialdehyde, and 4-hydroxynonenal. TS increased (P < 0.05) total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activities. Moreover, TS significantly upregulated (P < 0.05) the mRNA expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1, NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase.4. These findings suggested that TS enhanced antioxidative capacity and improved breast meat quality of broilers via activating the Nrf2 pathway.

Effect of dietary digestible lysine level on growth performance, blood metabolites and meat quality of broilers 23-38days of age.

This study was done to evaluate the effects of different dietary digestible lysine (dig Lys) levels on growth performance, blood metabolites, carcass and breast yield, and breast meat quality of broilers 23-38days of age. Three hundred 23-day-old Cobb-500 male broiler chickens were allocated to a completely randomized design with five treatments (finisher diet containing 0.88%, 0.94%, 1.00%, 1.06% and 1.12% dig Lys) and six replicates of 10 birds each. Feed intake (FI) was not affected by different dietary dig Lys levels. Weight gain (WG) linearly increased and feed conversion ratio (FCR) linearly decreased with an increasing dietary dig Lys levels. With increasing dietary dig Lys levels, carcass and breast yield and breast meat hue angle (h* ) linearly increased, but abdominal fat decreased quadratically, whereas breast meat lightness (L* ) and ether extract composition linearly decreased. Dietary dig Lys levels did not show any significant effect on serum metabolites, breast meat cooking loss and water holding capacity. Based on the linear broken-line regression models, the weight gain, feed conversion ratio and breast yield were optimized when dietary dig Lys levels were 0.95%, 1.01% and 1.02% respectively. It is concluded that Lys requirements vary according to what productive parameter is taken for optimization. A minimum of 1.02% dig Lys concentration in the finisher diet is suggested to optimize breast yield, feed efficiency and performance in broiler chickens.

Effect of dietary inclusion of fermented sea mustard by-product on growth performance, blood profiles, and meat quality in broilers.

Sea mustards are traditionally consumed as human food in many Asian countries. However, owing to the large consumption of seaweed, there are a substantial number of by-products produced during processing. These by-products after fermentation can provide a good alternative nutrient source for broilers and serve as a recycled resource reducing the environmental pollution of the seaweed industry. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of fermented sea mustard by-product (FSM) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, excreta microflora, blood profiles, relative organ weight, and meat quality in broilers. The treatments were: control (CON), basal diet; FSM, CON +2g kg-1 FSM. During days 1 to 35, with the supplementation of 2g kg-1 FSM, body weight gain (BWG) increased (P < 0.05), whereas the feed conversion ratio (FCR) decreased (P < 0.05). On day 35, with the supplementation of 2g kg-1 FSM, excreta Lactobacillus counts increased (P < 0.05), and the excreta Escherichia coli counts decreased (P < 0.05). There were no significant effects (P > 0.05) on nutrient digestibility, blood profile, relative organ weight, and breast meat quality of broilers fed with FSM diets. Dietary supplementation of 2g kg-1 FSM can improve growth performance, and shifted excreta microflora by increasing the proliferation of Lactobacillus counts and by decreasing E. coli counts. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.