Effects of fermented tofu processing wastewater on growth performance and meat quality of Xianghuang broilers

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of fermented tofu processing wastewater (FTPW) on the growth performance and meat quality of Xianghuang broilers. A total of 160 six-week-old Xianghuang broilers were randomly assigned to control or FTPW groups with eight replicate pens of 10 birds each pen. Broilers received the same corn-soybean diet but different water. Broilers received ordinary water in the control group and 40% (volume: volume) FTPW (the solution has been filtered with four layers of sieve, containing Bacillus 1.52 × 10^-7 CFU/mL) in FTPW group. The experiment lasted for 30 days. Results indicated that growth performance was not affected by treatment (p > 0.05). The value of pH_{45 min} and a_{48 h} increased and drip loss_{72 h} and toughness decreased in breast muscle when broilers received FTPW solution compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The pH_{45 min}, a_{45 min}, a_{48 h} value and crude fat concentration of thigh muscle were higher in FTPW group than that in control group (p < 0.05). Compared with control group, fibre area decreased but fibre density increased in thigh muscle when Xianghuang chickens supplemented with FTPW solution (p < 0.05). Supplementation of FTPW solution in drinking water significantly decreased malondialdehyde content in the breast muscle of Xianghuang chickens (p < 0.05). Gene expressions such as carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1) and glycogen synthase of breast muscle were downregulated in experimental group when compared with control group. In conclusion, FTPW supplementation in drinking water could improve meat quality of Xianghuang broilers by regulating pH value, redness and fibre morphology.

Keywords: Bacillus; Xianghuang broilers; growth performance; meat quality; tofu processing wastewater.