Authors
Title
Abstract
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Digestarom and charcoal feed supplements on the quality of both fresh meat and the deep-frozen meat stored for 4 months. The studies were carried out on male Ross 308 broiler chickens assigned to 3 groups. The ration received by the birds of individual groups differed Only in the kind of supplements. The birds of group I, the control group, received only balanced feeds without supplements. The chickens of group II received the feeds with an addition of deciduous trees wood charcoal in amount of 3 kg per 1 tonne of mixture; those of group III received addition of 150 g of Digestarom per tonne of mixture. After 6 weeks of raising, the birds were slaughtered, their breast muscles being dissected after subsequent 24 hours. The muscles were cut into two parts, of which one was weighed and frozen and the other was subjected to chemical, physicochemical, and sensory analyses. Chemical composition was assayed, free water content, lightness, and pH measured. After 4-month deep-freeze storing, again ph was measured, as well as freezing loss, boiling loss, colour, cholesterol content, taste and smell were evaluated in both boiled meat and the broth. Neither of the applied supplements, Digestarom or charcoal, significantly affected the chemical composition of fresh muscles. Howe ver, the meat showed elevated content of dry matter, total protein, and ash with reduced content of raw fat. Digestarom resulted in lighter meat colour, significantly higher acidification, larger meat juice loss either as a result of thawing or boiling, deteri oration of sensory characters of meat and broth, as well as in an elevated cholesterol level. Deciduous tree wood charcoal reduced meat juice loss during thawing and boiling and positively influenced taste and smell’of boiled meat and broth. Charcoal, like Digestarom, significantly increased the level of cholesterol in the stored meat.
Keywords
chickens, meat quality, Digestarom, charcoal, freezing