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Simitzis, P. E., Symeon, G. K., Charismiadou, M. A., Ayoutanti, A. G. and Deligeorgis, S. G. 2011. The effects of dietary hesperidin supplementation on broiler performance and chicken meat characteristics. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 91: 275–282. An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of supplementing broiler feed with hesperidin, a bioflavonoid that is an abundant and inexpensive by-product of citrus cultivation, on growth performance, carcass characteristics, breast meat quality characteristics and the oxidative stability of breast meat. Eighty 308-d-old Ross male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four groups. One of the groups served as a control (C) and was given commercial basal diets, whereas the other three groups were given the same diets further supplemented with hesperidin at 1.5 g kg−1 (HE1), or hesperidin at 3.0 g kg−1 (HE2), or α-tocopheryl acetate at 0.2 g kg−1 (VE). At 40 d of age, broilers were fasted for 12 h, weighed and slaughtered. After overnight chilling, carcasses were trimmed for breast fillets by removing skin, bones and connective tissue. The right pectoralis major muscle was used for quality parameters estimation, whereas the left pectoralis major muscle for lipid oxidation measurements. No significant differences were observed after dietary hesperidin or α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation in final body weight (kg), body weight gain (g), feed conversion rate and internal organs weight (g). Shear values (N mm−2), intramuscular fat (%) and cooking loss (%) were also not significantly influenced by the dietary treatments. Significant differences were found concerning pH24 and color parameter values among the treatment groups. Measurement of lipid oxidation values showed that as hesperidin increased in the diet, malondialdehyde values decreased in tissue samples, suggesting that hesperidin particularly at 3 g kg−1 exerted an antioxidant effect on chicken tissues (P<0.01). However, dietary α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation at 0.2 g kg−1 of feed displayed greater antioxidant activity than hesperidin at either supplementation rate (P<0.01). In conclusion, hesperidin, an abundant component of citrus pulp, positively influences meat antioxidative properties without negative implications on growth performance and meat quality characteristics in poultry, thus appearing to be an important additive for both the consumer and the industry.

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of supplementing broiler feed with hesperidin or naringin, on growth performance, carcass characteristics, breast meat quality and the oxidative stability of breast and thigh meat. Two hundred and forty 1-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 6 groups. One of the groups served as a control (C) and was given commercial basal diets, whereas the other five groups were given the same diets further supplemented with naringin at 0.75 g/kg (N1), naringin at 1.5 g/kg (N2), hesperidin at 0.75 g/kg (E1), hesperidin at 1.5 g/kg (E2) and a-tocopheryl acetate at 0.2 g/kg (E). At 42 days of age, 10 chickens per treatment group were slaughtered for meat quality and oxidative stability assessment. No significant differences were observed among groups in final body weight, carcass weight and internal organs weights (P>0.05) apart from liver that decreased linearly with increased levels of naringin (P-linear<0.05). Regarding the breast meat quality parameters, only redness (a*) value was higher in E1 and N1 group compared to VE group (P<0.05), while all the others i.e. shear values (N/mm2), pH24, cooking loss (%) and L* and b* color parameters were not significantly different among groups (P>0.05). Measurement of lipid oxidation values showed that after hesperidin and naringin dietary supplementation, malondialdehyde values decreased in tissue samples in a dose depended manner (P-linear<0.05). In conclusion, hesperidin and naringin, positively influence meat antioxidative properties without negative implications on growth performance and meat quality characteristics in poultry, thus appearing as important additives for both the consumer and the industry.

A 2-trial experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of caponization on growth performance, carcass composition, and meat quality of medium growing broilers. Male chicks were caponized at 3 wk of age and reared until either 18 (trial 1) or 24 (trial 2) wk of age. In trial 1, the experimental groups included intact males, sham-operated chickens, and capons, whereas trial 2 comprised only intact males and capons. The concentration of testosterone was drastically reduced by caponization but remained detectable (trial 1). In both trials, BW was lower for capons during 4 to 9 or 10 wk of age when contrasted to intact males (P < 0.05). In trial 1, capons had heavier livers than intact males and sham-operated chickens. In addition, they had lighter hearts than sham-operated chicks (P < 0.05). In trial 2, capons displayed smaller drumstick and heart weights (P < 0.05). There was a tendency for increased fat pad weight in capons (P < 0.10). Caponization resulted in increased skin-fat weights of the thigh and the breast of 24 wk of age. This was also valid for carcass fat, when expressed as a percentage of the cold carcass weight, and intramuscular fat. Caponization had no effect on pH 24 h postmortem and cooking loss. Capons' breasts had lower shear values and displayed lighter, more yellow, and less red meat than that of intact males. Conclusively, caponization, without affecting growth performance, altered meat quality characteristics, resulting in special quality chicken meat.

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