Protecting the quality of chilled minced chicken thigh meat against oxidation using contemporary preservative-free approaches as opposed to conventional methods

The study demonstrated the effect of including the extract of rosemary leaves directly into broiler chicken feed and adding natural extracts to minced chicken thigh meat to prevent their oxidation during chilled storage. The experiment comprised 6 treatments of three replicates each. The first treatment, or control, involved minced meat from birds fed on a diet free of any additives. The second treatment included vitamin E, the third and fourth had different levels of rosemary powder without rosemary extract, while the fifth and sixth treatments involved thigh meat taken from chickens fed on a diet free of any additives, with rosemary leaf extract added later. Adding rosemary leaf, whether in the diet or in extract form to minced chicken thigh meat taken from the control, significantly improved its sensory characteristics, as well as its pH and water-holding capacity. In addition, the rosemary-leaf treatment recorded the lowest values for oxidation indicators, and had significant fluid loss from exudation during and after cooking. The treatment with rosemary leaves added to the feed, whether in powder or extract form, also showed significantly lower oxidation indicators of the meat compared to the control. This is clear evidence of their effect in protecting chilled meat from oxidation by reducing microorganisms and free radical activity.