The effect of hempseed expellers on selected quality indicators of broiler chicken's meat

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of feeding hempseed expellers in a feed mixture on the quality indicators of broiler chicken's meat. One hundred and fifty Ross 308 hybrid cockerels were used in the present study. The control group (HS0) was fed without hempseed expellers; the other two groups received diets containing 50 g.kg(-1) and 150 g.kg(-1) of hempseed expellers (HS5 and HS15, respectively). The birds were slaughtered at the age of 37 days, and samples of breast and thigh muscles were collected for determination of proximate chemical composition and technological properties, and sensory analyses. Feeding with hempseed expellers influenced the colour of meat with a significant difference observed for a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) values in the HS15 group. The colour of breast meat in HS15 group is more intense compared to HS5 and HS0 groups. Breast meat was evaluated as the best in terms of odour for HS15 group compared to HS0. The colour of thigh meat was better rated in the HSE supplemented groups compared to the controls. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with hempseed expellers appears to affect the colour and odour of broiler chicken's meat which is positive for the consumers. Including hempseed cakes can be recommended as a component of broiler chicken's feed.