Effect of dietary probiotic on the pH and colour characteristics of carcasses, breast fillets and drumsticks of broilers

Abstract

Abstract This research was carried out to determine the effects of commercial probiotic (115-Biogallinox) on the colour properties of carcasses and dissected products in broilers. Ross-308 male chicks were given probiotic (P0:0 g/kg, P1:1 g/kg and P2:2 g/kg) containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae for 49 days. At the end of the trial all birds were slaughtered, and pH and skin colour of the carcasses were determined at various times during the first 24 h (1, 3, 7, 12, 17 and 24 h). After dissection, breasts and drumsticks were divided into two groups for vacuum packaging and aerobic packaging. Packaged breasts and drumsticks were stored at 3 ± 0.5°C for 12 days. During the storage period, the colours of breast meat, drumstick meat and drumstick skin were determined. pH values of carcasses decreased (P < 0.01) over the 24-h period post mortem. The pH values of the P1 group were lower than the P0 and P2 groups (P < 0.01). L*, a* and b* values increased during the 24-h period and the P0 group had lower a* values than the P1 and P2 groups (P < 0.05). The use of probiotic in the broiler diet had no effect on L*, a* and b* values of breast and drumstick muscle. The L* and a* values of breast muscles were lower than drumstick muscles (P < 0.05). The values of b* in aerobic packaged breasts and drumsticks were higher than when vacuum packaged (P < 0.01). L* and b* values were also affected by storage period. While the L* and b* values of drumstick skin were higher than of drumstick meat, a* values in drumstick meat were higher (P < 0.05). The packaging had no effect on drumstick colour values (drumstick meat and drumstick skin) and L* and b* values decreased during the storage period.