This feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of Mentha arvensis (MA) and Geranium thunbergii (GT) in drinking water on physicochemical attributes, sensory qualities, proximate analysis and oxidative stability of broiler leg meat. One hundred and twenty broiler chicks were assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments for 5 weeks. The dietary treatments were 1) control, 2) T1 (0.1% 1 MA:1 GT), 3) T2 (0.1% 1 MA:4 GT), 4) T3 (0.1% 4 MA: 1 GT). The water holding capacity and cooking loss were improved (p < 0.05) in T2 and T3. The flavor, texture and acceptability of leg meat by consumers were significantly increased in T2 relative to the control (p < 0.05). The crude protein content was increased in T3 while the crude fat decreased in T2 (p < 0.05). Moreover, broilers supplemented with plant extracts had the lowest leg meat TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) values after 2 weeks of storage as compared with the control. Total phenolic contents and 1-1-diphenyl 2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity were also better in the T2 group (p < 0.05) compared with the control, whereas 2,2-Azinobis-3 ethytlbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS+) remained unaffected. Overall, these results demonstrate that broiler drinking water with the inclusion of plant extract combination can be used to enhance the oxidative stability, shelf life and quality characteristics of broiler leg meat without compromising the growth performance.
Keywords: Broiler leg meat; Oxidative stability; Plant extracts; Shelf life.
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