The effect of eugenol and butyric acid glycerides on the qualitative and sensory properties of chicken fillet

Due to side effects of growth stimulant antibiotics used for poultry nutrition such as increasing microbial resistance, the poultry industry tries to replace them with a safer one like as phytogenics and organic acids. Thus, the aim of this research was to investigate the effect of adding butyric acid glycerides (BAG) and eugenol essential oil to the diet of broiler chickens on the quality and sensory properties of the meat. 300 pieces of broiler chickens of commercial strain Ross 308 were breeded in the form of a completely random design in six experimental diets including control (T1), T2 (500 ppm eugenol), T3 (1000 ppm eugenol), T4 (BAG 0.2% w/w), T5 (BAG 0.2% w/w + 500 ppm eugenol), and T6 (BAG 0.2% w/w + 1000 ppm eugenol). After 42 days, the broilers were slaughtered and water holding capacity (WHC), drip loss, cooking loss, sensory and pH parameters were evaluated on the breast muscle (fillet) during storage days. The findings revealed that the addition of eugenol and BAG to the diet of broilers reduced drip loss (p<0.05), while indicated no significant effect on the WHC. Incorporation of BAG and eugenol showed insignificant effect on cooking loss, but improved the sensory acceptability of the cooked meat. pH values influenced significantly by eugenol, and ranged between 5.69-5.81. In conclusion, the addition of eugenol and BAG to the diet of broiler chickens improved the sensory properties, and decreased drip loss of the fillets.