Effect of probiotics on broiler meat quality

Abstract

The study was carried out on “Hubbard Isa Starbo” broilers to evaluate the raw meat quality of both probiotics and conventional fed broilers in pre-freezing condition and post freezing storage. 80 day old broiler chicks were divided into 4 groups of equal numbers as group A (probitotics fed group vaccinated), B (probiotics fed group nonvaccinated), C (conventional fed group vaccinated) and D (conventional fed group nonvaccinated). The groups C and D were taken as control birds and were fed with commercial ration and the groups A and B as experimental birds which were fed with commercial ration plus 2 g probiotics (Protexin

® Boost)/10 L drinking water up to 6th week of age. At the end of the 6 week feeding trial, the birds were slaughtered and dressed and subjected to organoleptic examination at 0, 7, 14 and 21 days of frozen storage. The increased panel scores were substantially obtained by all absorbent paper (AP) packed meat samples of probiotics fed group as compared to aluminium foil (AF) packed samples kept at frozen storage for 7, 14 and 21 days. The presence of high number of pathogenic Staphylococci and Escherichia coli encountered in meat from conventional fed broilers is alarming. The presence of these organisms in meat foods should receive particular attention, because their presence indicate public health hazard and give warning signal for the possible occurrence of food borne intoxication. The results of the study evidenced that supplementation of probiotics in broiler ration improved the meat quality both in prefreezing and postfreezing storage.