Search Results (208)

The incorporation of plant-based protein ingredients into processed meat products represents a promising strategy for reformulating meat products while addressing sustainability and resource efficiency concerns within the food industry. This study investigated the effect of sweet lupin flour incorporated at 2%, 4%, and 6% substitution levels on the quality characteristics of chicken meat sausages. Four batches were produced: a control (CB0%) and three lupin-enriched formulations (CLS2%, CLS4%, CLS6%), and evaluated for proximate composition, pH, water activity, colorimetric parameters, Warner–Bratzler shear force, and sensory acceptability. Lupin flour incorporation significantly modified all parameters, increasing ash, fat, carbohydrate, and energy content while moderately reducing moisture and protein. A progressive decrease in pH and water activity was observed alongside a colorimetric shift toward higher lightness and yellowness, with total color differences exceeding the visual perceptibility threshold of 5 at CLS4% and CLS6%. Shear force and work of cutting increased proportionally with substitution level, reflecting structural reinforcement of the protein matrix. Sensory evaluation confirmed that 2% substitution maintained overall acceptability within the positive range of the hedonic scale, while 4% remained acceptable but with some sensory decline, and the 6% received scores below the scale midpoint. These results suggest that lupin flour can be incorporated at up to 4%, while maintaining overall sensory scores within the positive range of the hedonic scale, supporting its potential as a plant-derived ingredient in the reformulation of poultry-based processed meat products. Full article

Freezing is an important technique for preserving muscle foods (encompassing mammalian meat, poultry, and seafood). However, traditional thawing methods have several drawbacks, including excessive drip loss, nutrient leaching, and overall quality degradation. To address these issues, emerging technologies such as high-voltage electric field, ohmic, microwave, ultrasound-assisted, low-temperature combined with high-humidity (LHT), radiofrequency (RF), and vacuum thawing have been developed. Despite their potential, existing literature frequently focuses on standalone methods or isolated engineering parameters, leaving a critical knowledge gap regarding their comparative industrial viability and combined synergistic effects. Based on a comprehensive literature search across major scientific databases, the changes in meat product quality during the thawing process were systematically discussed, followed by an exploration of the principles and applications of these innovative methods. Crucially, comparative findings indicate that LHT thawing most effectively preserves water-holding capacity (WHC) and minimizes lipid oxidation. In contrast, RF thawing provides the optimal balance between rapid thawing rates and uniform quality retention for large-scale operations, while hybrid approaches (e.g., microwave combined with ultrasound) successfully balance high-speed processing with the prevention of structural degradation. Furthermore, the practical applications of these technologies in the food industry were presented, emphasizing the growing trend of combining multiple techniques. The advantages and disadvantages of the thawing process are analyzed to provide theoretical references and practical insights for enhancing the quality of commercial meat products. Full article

Poultry meat quality, as a key determinant of consumer acceptance and industrial economic efficiency, is shaped through the synergistic regulation of multiple factors including genetic background, husbandry management practices, and nutritional strategies. Among these, nutritional regulation has emerged as one of the most promising avenues for enhancing meat quality due to its high degree of operability and precision in intervention. This study systematically reviews the effects and mechanisms of nutritional strategies on poultry meat quality. These interventions entail modulating dietary protein and amino acids, fats and fatty acids, minerals and vitamins, alongside incorporating plant extracts and functional additives. It delves into the latest research advances in nutritional regulation within poultry meat quality. By dissecting the physiological and molecular mechanisms through which different nutritional strategies enhance meat quality, this study elucidates the scientific rationale for their effects via pathways regulating muscle metabolism, redox homeostasis, and microstructure. Accordingly, this review provides theoretical foundations and research directions for producing high-quality, high-value-added poultry meat products through precision nutritional strategies. Full article

High-density SNP chips have been demonstrated to be effective instruments for simultaneously genotyping large numbers of loci, thereby facilitating genome-scale analyses and advancing genomic selection (GS) in poultry and livestock. The meat-type duck, an economically valuable poultry species in China, has so far lacked precise and high-throughput genotyping systems, which has constrained the broader implementation of GS and genome-wide association analyses (GWASs) and consequently slowed genetic progress. In this study, we developed and validated a novel SNP array based on Genotyping-by-Targeted-Sequencing (GBTS) technology. The array comprises 40,875 SNP markers evenly distributed across 32 duck chromosomes. Using data generated from this array, genomic heritability estimates were obtained for six economic traits in a cultured duck population (n = 400), with values of 0.61 ± 0.09, 0.69 ± 0.08, 0.80 ± 0.08, 0.11 ± 0.09, 0.14 ± 0.08, 0.31 ± 0.09 for age at first egg (AFE), egg production number at 38 weeks (EN38w), egg weight at 38 weeks (EW38w), body weight at 35 days (BW35d), shank length at 35 days (SL35d) and thickness of breast muscle at 40 days (TB40d). A total of 163 significant SNPs associated with economic traits were identified through GWAS, and annotation revealed 28 candidate genes related to five of these traits. Moreover, the prediction accuracy of ssGBLUP for AFE, EN38w, EW38w, BW35d, SL35d, and TB40d reached 0.55 ± 0.16, 0.56 ± 0.12, 0.57 ± 0.08, 0.25 ± 0.19, 0.31 ± 0.19, and 0.47 ± 0.17, respectively—values that exceeded those obtained using BLUP. Population genomic analyses of 400 ducks demonstrated that this SNP array provides improved genomic prediction accuracy over pedigree-based BLUP for most analyzed traits. Overall, the developed SNP array provides a robust, high-efficiency, and cost-effective genotyping platform that will accelerate genetic progress and promote the sustainable development of the meat-type duck industry. Full article

The poultry industry is undergoing a major transition to reduce the use of antibiotics, as a result of the growing concerns about antimicrobial resistance, antibiotic residue in meat and increasingly stringent regulatory policies. This trend has led to an increased interest in functional feed additives as potential alternatives that may support bird health, growth performance and meat quality. There are functional additives, including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, phytogenics, organic acids, enzymes, essential oils, vitamins, minerals and postbiotics, that have shown potential effectiveness in enhancing gut health, nutrient utilization, immunity and disease resistance in poultry. The advantages that are frequently noticed are increased feed conversion ratio, body weight gain, carcass yield and improved meat quality characteristics, such as water-holding capacity, color stability, tenderness, oxidative stability and shelf life. Furthermore, the decrease in the use of antibiotics decreases the risk of residues and also the transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes through the food chain and the environment. Consumer interest in antibiotic-free and naturally raised poultry meat has also led to the emergence of premium market opportunities, where trust, transparency in poultry labelling and perceived safety are key drivers of consumer acceptance. But there are issues yet to be addressed regarding additive efficacy variability, dosage standardization, cost-effectiveness and implementation on farms under different production systems. This review critically evaluates the scientific evidence related to the use of functional feed additives as an alternative to antibiotics in poultry nutrition, focusing on their effects on meat quality, food safety, economic viability, sustainability and consumer perception. Precision nutrition, combinations of synergistic additives, and data-driven feed strategies will be key to future progress to enable profitable and sustainable poultry production. Full article

Data on arsenic (As) and other potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in Pakistani retail meats are limited, constraining evidence-based dietary risk assessment and management. This study aimed to determine the concentrations and profiles of As and seven other PTEs (Cr, Ni, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn) in commonly consumed meats and to evaluate the associated non-carcinogenic health risks. Ninety-two paired liver and muscle samples from broiler chicken, goat (mutton), and beef cattle were collected from four cities across the Indus Plain and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Dietary exposure was evaluated using estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazardous index (HI) under typical and high-consumption scenarios. Overall, Zn and Cu exhibited the highest concentrations, followed by Mn and Cr, whereas As, Pb, Ni, and Cd occurred at comparatively lower but environmentally relevant levels. Beef liver exhibited the highest contamination levels, exceeding FAO/WHO permissible limits for Pb, Cu, and Cd in up to 40% of samples. In contrast, mutton and beef muscle contained the highest As and Zn concentrations, while chicken muscle showed elevated Cr levels. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed three dominant co-variation patterns, suggesting potential contamination pathways: (i) geogenic groundwater sources enriched with As, Cr, and Ni; (ii) atmospheric and industrial dust inputs linked with Pb, Cd, and Mn; (iii) mineral-enriched feed additives potentially contributing to elevated Zn and Cu, particularly in poultry. Under high-consumption scenarios, THQ values for As, Cr, Cu, and Zn exceeded the safety threshold (THQ > 1), highlighting beef products as the dominant source of chronic dietary risk. Overall, the findings highlight pronounced tissue- and species-specific accumulation trends, and emphasizes the urgent need for stricter feed and water quality control measures to minimize dietary exposure to PTEs. Full article

Against the backdrop of the full implementation of “antibiotic ban” and “zinc restriction” policies in livestock and poultry breeding, and the growing consumer demand for safe livestock and poultry products, the development of natural and efficient green feed additives has become crucial for the sustainable development of the animal husbandry industry. Curcumin, a natural polyphenolic compound extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., has attracted extensive attention in poultry production due to its various biological activities and safety. This paper thoroughly reviews the chemical structure and physicochemical properties of curcumin, and elaborates on its core molecular mechanisms of action, which mainly involve the regulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways to exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, immunomodulatory and lipid metabolism regulatory effects. It further clarifies the practical application value of curcumin in major poultry species including broilers, laying hens, ducks and quails, showing that curcumin can significantly improve poultry production performance, optimize meat and egg quality, protect intestinal health, and enhance the ability of poultry to resist stress and diseases. Meanwhile, the review notes curcumin’s current application limitations (low bioavailability, poor stability, unclear standardized dosage, and high industrialization cost) and proposes targeted future research directions to address these issues. In conclusion, curcumin is a promising green feed additive alternative to antibiotics, and its large-scale and standardized application in poultry production will effectively promote the green, healthy and sustainable development of the poultry industry. Full article

Foreign plastic objects (FPOs) in poultry products present significant food safety risks and cause economic losses for the industry. Conventional detection methods, including X-rays and color imaging, often struggle to identify small or low-density plastics. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) offers both spatial and spectral information but suffers from high computational cost when applied for FPO identification in industrial environments. This study introduces a parameter-efficient and computationally efficient spatial–spectral transformer framework for pixel-level classification of FPOs on broiler meat using NIR-HSI (1000–1700 nm). The framework integrates three innovations: (1) center-focused linear attention (CFLA) to reduce computational complexity from $O\left(n^2\right)$ to $O\left(n\right)$; (2) patch-local mixed-axis 2D rotary position embedding to preserve geometric relationships within hyperspectral patches; and (3) low-rank factorized projection (LRP) matrices to reduce parameters by approximately 50% within projection weight matrices. The framework was trained and evaluated on a dataset of 52 chicken fillets, comprising 295,340 labeled target hyperspectral pixels from 12 common polymer types and 1 fillet class. The model achieved 99.39% overall accuracy, 99.57% average accuracy, and a 99.31 Kappa coefficient across 248,540 test pixels. Per-class precision, recall, and F1-score exceeded 98.05%, 98.59%, and 98.76%, respectively, across all classes. Efficiency analyses showed an 83% reduction in multiply–accumulate operations (MACs), a 22% reduction in trainable parameters, and a model size reduction from 1.72 MB to 1.35 MB relative to the baseline configuration. These gains also translated into practical inference benefits, with the final model achieving a throughput of 212,971.5 hyperspectral patch cubes/s and a 4.19× speedup over the baseline. These results demonstrate that the proposed framework combines strong classification performance with high efficiency, supporting high-throughput inference for real-time monitoring and enabling contamination source traceability and preventive quality control in industrial poultry processing. The approach provides a benchmark for applying transformer-based models to food safety inspection tasks. Full article

The poultry industry generates large amounts of protein- and mineral-rich by-products that remain underutilized. This study investigated the use of chicken skin protein hydrolysate and chicken bone protein–mineral mass (PMM) as functional ingredients in emulsified poultry sausages. The hydrolysate was characterized by a high protein content (52.25%) and high water- and fat-binding capacity (142% and 125%, respectively), while the PMM served as a source of protein and minerals with stable physicochemical and rheological characteristics. These ingredients were incorporated into sausage formulations at different substitution levels. Partial replacement of poultry meat increased protein and mineral content and affected key technological properties, including water-binding capacity, emulsion stability, cooking loss, and shear force. Moderate inclusion levels were associated with a more cohesive protein matrix, lower cooking losses, and improved structural stability, whereas excessive substitution resulted in increased firmness and less favorable sensory characteristics. Among the tested formulations, the combination of 18% PMM and 4% protein hydrolysate showed the most balanced technological and sensory performance. The findings suggest that poultry by-products processed into functional ingredients may have potential for application in value-added sausage formulations. Full article

Over the years, poultry supply chains have prioritized highly productive genetic lines to meet consumer demand, often at the expense of meat quality, animal welfare, and animal health. Recently, however, industry trends have shifted toward a greater awareness of welfare, reduced farming intensity, and improved product quality. In response, the European Chicken Commitment (ECC) has advocated for the use of slower-growing genotypes, even within conventional production systems. This study aimed to evaluate the meat quality of two ECC-approved chicken genotypes with differing growth rates—slow-growing (SG: 30–40 g/day, Kabir) and medium-growing (MG: 40–50 g/day, Ranger Gold) in comparison with a fast-growing strain (FG: >65 g/day, Ross 308). A total of 300 chickens were assigned to two experimental conditions: a control group (C), with spontaneous activity, and a treatment group (M), subjected to induced moderate kinetic activity. The results demonstrated that genotype influenced the meat quality of chickens raised indoors more significantly than kinetic activity. Comparisons revealed that SG and MG chickens exhibited superior meat quality, particularly regarding protein content, oxidative status, and a more suitable fatty acid profile. Overall, our findings support the adoption of ECC-approved genotypes in indoor systems to simultaneously improve animal welfare and enhance the nutritional and technological quality of poultry meat. Full article

As the demand for poultry meat and eggs is increasing in the world, and the use of antibiotics is forbidden in Europe (since 2006), with countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh and China having imposed restriction or prohibitions, researchers and producers have sought for effective non-antibiotic alternatives. Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics and phytobiotics are frequently used as alternatives in the field of poultry production. Phytobiotics, plant-derived substances, also referred to as botanicals or phytogenics, are used as animal diets supplements due to their wide range of bioactive compounds (menthol, curcumin, eugenol, allicin and others) and many advantages. They are classified as herbs, spices, plant extracts and essential oils. Some of the benefits offered by the dietary phytobiotics are antimicrobial, antioxidant, digestion stimulant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, carminative, antiseptic and appetite stimulant, the modulation of gut microbiota and improvement in the intestinal histology. Some representatives of phytobiotics are turmeric, oregano, sage, thyme, black pepper, ginger, garlic, echinacea, rosemary and others. Despite the significant potential of phytobiotics, their widespread adaptation is currently inhibited by challenges regarding cost-effectiveness (high price for raw materials), scarce regulatory frameworks, and inconsistent biological efficacy. The lack of standardization reflects a dual challenge, enclosing both the inherent chemical variability of raw botanical materials and the technical inconsistencies present throughout the industrial manufacturing, and extraction processes as producers use different machinery for extracting and producing the animal feed. To address these systemic impediments, a joint effort across the entire value chain—from primary producers to regulatory authorities—is essential for the development of unified testing protocols and standardization dosage guidelines that ensure the pharmacological safety and reliability of phytobiotic products. Full article

With the rapid development of the livestock and poultry industry, the availability of feed resources in China has become a critical limiting factor, posing a significant challenge to the sustainable growth of animal husbandry. Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae are rich in protein, lipids, minerals, and trace elements and possess an essential amino acid profile comparable to that of fishmeal and soybean meal, which makes them a promising novel protein source for feed. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary BSF larvae protein supplementation on the growth performance, egg production, as well as meat and egg quality, blood biochemical parameters, and cecal microbiota diversity of Yunshang countryside chickens. The results showed that the inclusion of BSF larvae protein in the diet significantly reduced the feed-to-egg ratio and enhanced egg quality. Dietary supplementation with BSF larvae protein also effectively increased the abundance of dominant bacterial phyla and genera in the cecum, with the optimal inclusion level identified as 7.5%. Overall, the results demonstrate that BSF larvae can serve as a high-quality protein source in poultry production, thereby providing a scientific reference for the development and application of new feed resources and offering a theoretical basis for the utilization of BSF larvae as an alternative protein ingredient. Full article

This review explores strategies to enhance meat quality in poultry, focusing on both management and genetic methods. Poultry meat quality is influenced by many factors, including rearing conditions, nutrition, animal welfare, and post-slaughter processing. Key management factors such as stocking density, ventilation, temperature, and humidity are emphasized for their significant impact on bird welfare and the resulting meat texture, color, and microbial stability. Welfare-enhancing practices like gentle handling, environmental enrichment, and thermal comfort are highlighted for their direct effects on stress levels and meat properties such as water-holding capacity and pH. Innovations in slaughtering and chilling techniques, including electrical and gas stunning and rapid chilling, are shown to preserve meat quality and prevent common defects like pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) or dark, firm, and dry (DFD) meat. The review also underscores the importance of hygiene protocols, hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) systems, and traceability technologies to ensure food safety and foster consumer trust. On the genetic front, it discusses conventional selection, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and genomic selection (GS) as tools for breeding birds with better meat quality traits, including tenderness, intramuscular fat, and resistance to conditions like woody breast. Functional genomics and gene editing are identified as the leading edge of future advances. Ultimately, the review advocates for an integrated approach that balances productivity, quality, animal welfare, and sustainability. As consumer expectations increase, the poultry industry must adopt precise, science-based strategies across the entire production process to reliably deliver high-quality meat products. Full article

Due to global increases in poultry meat and egg production, consumers request sustainable agricultural practices, requiring alternative solutions for future feeding. Global egg production increased by over 41% between 2000 and 2020, from 51 to 87 million tonnes, at an average increasing rate of 3%. Similarly, the production of poultry meat reached 145 million tonnes in 2023 and continues to increase, which amplifies the pressure on sustainable alternative feed solutions. Commercial poultry diets are typically based on a cereal (corn or wheat) as an energy source and a quality protein source, especially soybean meal (SBM), to provide essential amino acids. Soybean production is associated with deforesting and land use in several countries, sensitiveness to supply chains and price volatility. As a response to these challenges over the last decade, research and commercial innovation have intensively focused on alternative and novel feed resources that can be integrated into both broiler and layer diets. Some future candidate ingredients are insect meal, algae, agro-industrial by-products such as distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), brewery spent grains (BSG) and fermented feedstuffs (oilseed cakes/meals). Literature data showed that moderate inclusion of these alternative ingredients can be partly integrated in poultry diets, without compromising egg or meat quality. In some cases, studies showed improvements of productive performances and specific quality traits (yolk color, fatty acids and antioxidant compounds), offering potential to valorize waste streams, improve local circularity and provide functional ingredients for animals and humans. However, challenges still remain, especially in terms of nutrient variability, digestibility limitations, higher processing costs and still-evolving regulations which constrain mainstream adoption of some of these potential future alternatives. Full article

The Trump administration signalled a shift toward protectionism in U.S. trade policy, imposing tariffs on imports from both strategic partners and competitors, which generated renewed uncertainty in international trade relations and the future of existing frameworks such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). Earlier analysis has shown that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the United States can be trade-creating and lead to improved macroeconomic outcomes in SACU countries. However, these positive effects decline over time, with varying impacts across different industries, influenced by initial tariff levels and export orientation relative to the US. This paper examines whether there are economic and strategic incentives for SACU to negotiate a more beneficial agreement than a simple across-the-board elimination of ad valorem import tariffs. Using a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, the paper examines the outcomes if cereals, poultry, dairy products, red meat, and sugar products—often classified as sensitive due to their labour intensity, food security implications, and exposure to import competition—were to retain some level of protection under a SACU–US Free Trade Agreement. The results suggest that while the FTA boosts key macroeconomic indicators in the short run, gains taper off over time. Crucially, real wages and employment remain stagnant, and terms of trade deteriorate, raising questions about the inclusivity and sustainability of such a deal. Shielding vulnerable sectors initially enhances SACU’s exports and supports some industry growth, particularly in agriculture. However, without broader reforms and export diversification, long-term competitiveness remains weak. A nuanced FTA design, combined with structural support policies, is essential to unlock lasting and inclusive trade benefits. Full article