Comparative effect of dietary Morinda lucida leaf and Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) on carcass traits, meat quality, and oxidative stability of broiler chickens.

This study examined the impact of dietary supplementation of Morinda lucida leaf powder (MLLP) and Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) on carcass traits, physicochemical properties, and sensory attributes of different muscles in broiler chickens. Two hundred and forty 1-day old Arbor acre chicks were randomly allotted to either a negative control (NC), basal diet without additive; M-0.1, basal diet + 0.1%MLLP; M-0.2, basal diet + 0.2%MLLP; or Positive Control, (PC), basal diet + 0.02%BHA, fed for 42 d, and euthanized. The physicochemical properties and oxidative stability of thigh and breast muscles were assessed over a 5 d postmortem chill storage. Diet had no effect (p > 0.05) on carcass traits and chemical composition, cook loss, pH and sensory attributes of breast and thigh muscles in broiler chickens. Total phenolic content was higher (p = 0.032) in the supplemented meats than in the NC meat. Carbonyl content, TBARS value and drip loss were higher (p < 0.05), while redness was lower (p = 0.021) in the NC meat compared with the meat of the supplemented birds. Carbonyl content was lower (p < 0.0001) in the PC meat compared with the M-0.1 and M-0.2 meats. The M-0.1 and M-0.2 meats had lower (p < 0.0001) TBARS value than the PC meat. Chill storage and muscle type influenced (p < 0.05) the physicochemical properties and oxidative stability of broiler meat. There were significant interactions between diet, muscle type, and chill storage on the oxidative stability of broiler meat. These results suggest that MLLP exhibited antioxidant potential that was comparable to that of BHA in the diets of broiler chickens.