Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Cocrystals of Thymol and Carvacrol on Quality, Nutrient Composition, and Oxidative Stability of Broiler Meat
Yang Li,
Changjin Li,
Yunlong Zhang,
Nadia Everaert,
Luke Comer,
Libo Huang,
Ning Jiao,
Xuejun Yuan,
Weiren Yang,
Shuzhen Jiang
Affiliations
Yang Li
Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources (Co-Construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Efficient Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Panhe Street 7, Tai’an 271017, China
Changjin Li
Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources (Co-Construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Efficient Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Panhe Street 7, Tai’an 271017, China
Yunlong Zhang
Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources (Co-Construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Efficient Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Panhe Street 7, Tai’an 271017, China
Nadia Everaert
Division of Animal and Human Health Engineering, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
Luke Comer
Division of Animal and Human Health Engineering, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
Libo Huang
Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources (Co-Construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Efficient Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Panhe Street 7, Tai’an 271017, China
Ning Jiao
Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources (Co-Construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Efficient Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Panhe Street 7, Tai’an 271017, China
Xuejun Yuan
College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Daizong Street 61, Tai’an 271018, China
Weiren Yang
Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources (Co-Construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Efficient Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Panhe Street 7, Tai’an 271017, China
Shuzhen Jiang
Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Non-Grain Feed Resources (Co-Construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Efficient Feeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Panhe Street 7, Tai’an 271017, China
Consumer demand for high-quality meat has increased. This study aimed to investigate the potential application of cocrystals of thymol and carvacrol in broilers for high-quality meat production. Eight hundred 1-day-old chicks were assigned to four groups fed diets supplemented with 0, 40, 60, and 80 mg/kg of Crystal EO® (CEO), containing 25% cocrystals of thymol and carvacrol in a 42-d feeding trial. The results showed that dietary CEO supplementation decreased the muscle fiber diameter and increased the muscle fiber density, glycogen content, L*45 min value, and proportion of α-linolenic acid in the breast muscle; dietary 40 and 60 mg/kg of CEO decreased the lactate content, MDA concentration, cooking loss, shear force, and thrombogenicity index and increased the proportion of lauric acid in the breast muscle; dietary 60 and 80 mg/kg of CEO increased the glucose content, total superoxide dismutase, and total antioxidant capacity levels of breast muscle. Citrate synthase activity, free radical scavenging capacity, pH24 h and a*45 min values, and the cystine content in the breast muscle were especially higher in the 60 mg/kg CEO group compared to the control group. Collectively, dietary CEO supplementation improved meat quality and nutritional values and enhanced the antioxidant capacity of broiler meat, with 60 mg/kg of CEO having the greatest effect.
