Effect of methionine supplementation in chicken feed on the quality and shelf life of fresh poultry meat

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different methionine sources and concentrations on the quality and spoilage process of broiler meat. The trial was comprised of 7 treatment groups: one basal group (suboptimal in Methionine+Cysteine; i.e., 0.89, 0.74, 0.69% in DM SID Met+Cys in starter, grower, and finisher diets, respectively) and 3 doses (0.10, 0.25, and 0.40%) of either DL-Methionine (DLM) or DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylthio butanoic acid (DL-HMTBA) on an equimolar basis of the DLM-supplemented groups. The broilers were fed the diets for 35 d, then slaughtered and processed. The filets were aerobically packed and stored under temperature controlled conditions at 4°C. Meat quality investigations were comprised of microbial investigations (total viable count and Pseudomonas spp.), pH and drip loss measurements of the filets. The shelf life of the meat samples was determined based on sensory parameters. After slaughtering, all supplemented meat samples showed a high quality, whereby no differences between the 2 methionine sources could be detected for the microbial load, pH, and drip loss. In comparison to the control group, the supplemented samples showed a higher sensory quality, characterized by a fresh smell and fresh red color. Methionine supplementation had a significant influence on meat quality parameters during storage. The microbial load, pH and drip loss of the chicken filets were positively correlated to the methionine concentration. Additionally, the microbial load at the end of storage was positively correlated to pH and drip loss values. Nevertheless, the microbial parameters were in a normal range and the positive correlation to methionine concentration did not affect the sensory shelf life. The mean sensory shelf life of the broiler filets varied between 7 to 9 d. During storage, no difference in the development of sensory parameters was observed between the supplemented groups, while the spoilage process of the basal group occurred slightly faster. In conclusion, methionine concentration, but not methionine source, effected meat quality parameters in breast muscles of broilers.

Influence of Different Production Systems on the Quality and Shelf Life of Poultry Meat: A Case Study in the German Sector

“…e pH value was closely related to the cooking loss, thawing loss, and color values of the poultry filets, which is in accordance with former studies [21,35,36]. Even though the dietary composition and breed were reported to have an impact on water holding capacity of the meat [27,[37][38][39], no differences in cooking and thawing loss could be detected between the production lines in this study. e L * values showed no significant difference between groups but were higher than the optimal range for poultry reported in former studies [36,[40][41][42].…”

“…e abandonment of antibiotics showed no impact on microbial contamination or growth in this study. For both groups, the microbial shelf life was in accordance with the sensory shelf life and is in the normal range for fresh, aerobically packaged poultry [37]. Shorter shelf lives for similar products were reported as well but could be related to higher initial microbial contamination [16,52,53].…”

Assessment of Meat Quality and Shelf Life from Broilers Fed with Different Sources and Concentrations of Methionine

“…Indeed, a relationship between Met supplementation and bacterial counts on the meat surface has been reported, but the results are contradictory. While Aksu et al [21] detected lowering bacterial counts with increasing dietary Met concentrations, Albrecht et al [24] found a supporting effect on microbial growth. In fact, there is a lack of studies focusing on the relationship between the microbial growth and the shelf life of the meat and Met supplementation.…”

“…Lipid oxidation is a major factor during the spoilage of fresh meat and influences consumer acceptance of the product [30]. Furthermore, a positive effect on the sensory acceptance in comparison to the control group was reported by Albrecht et al [24]. However, it became evident during the laboratory trial that a large number of samples expressed white striping (WS), a breast myopathy.…”

“…In several studies, it was shown that Met supplementation has the ability to in uence important quality parameters of the meat. Increasing Met concentrations in the diet elevates the pH of broiler meat [21,24]. e meat color is affected by lowering the L * and b * value [21].…”