Impact of dietary dandelion (Taraxacum mongolicum Hand. -Mazz.) supplementation on carcase traits, breast meat quality, muscle fatty and amino acid composition and antioxidant capacity in broiler chickens

This trial was performed to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of dry dandelion (Taraxacum mongolicum Hand. -Mazz.) on carcase traits, breast meat quality, muscle fatty and amino acid composition and antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens. A total of 120 Arbour Acres broiler chickens were randomly allotted to three groups and fed basal diet (CON), basal diet supplemented with 0.5 g/kg (LD) or 1.0 g/kg (HD) of dandelion. The results showed that compared with LD group, the eviscerated percentage of HD group tended to be higher (p = 0.090), while the abdominal fat yield tended to be lower (p = 0.078). In addition, dandelion quadratically increased redness, water loss rate, the proportion of C20:2, C20:4n-6, C22:6n-3 and the sum of n-3 PUFA and decreased cooking loss of Pectoralis major (PA) muscle (p < 0.05). The crude protein content of PA muscle showed a linear decrease trend with increasing dandelion levels (p = 0.057). The thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values on d 3 and d 5 were linearly and quadratically decreased (p < 0.05). The results indicated that dandelion could be used as natural antioxidant in broiler chickens' diets to benefit meat quality and lipid oxidative stability.

Automated summary

This trial aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of dry dandelion on broiler chickens' carcase traits, breast meat quality, muscle fatty and amino acid composition, and antioxidant capacity. The results showed that higher supplementation levels of dandelion tend to increase eviscerated percentage and decrease abdominal fat yield. Dandelion also improved meat quality by increasing redness, water loss rate, specific fatty acid proportions, and reducing cooking loss. Furthermore, it acted as a natural antioxidant by decreasing lipid oxidative stability.