EFFECT OF GRADED LEVELS OF TURMERIC POWDER ON MEAT ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of turmeric on meat organoleptic characteristics of drumstick of broiler chicken. A total number one hundred and eight day old broiler chicks were divided into three treatment groups in a completely randomised design. The birds were assigned at the rate of 36 birds per treatment in 4 replicates of 9 chicks per replicate. Turmeric powder was supplemented to the feed at the rate of 0, 0.5 and 1.0% during the experiment (8week). At the end of the 56-day feeding trial 2 birds per replicate were slaughtered for sensory meat quality characteristics: colour, flavour, juiciness, tenderness and overall acceptability. Result showed that there was significant increase (P<0.05) in the colour of the drumstick of birds on control diet followed by 0.5% and 0.1% which were similar. The juiciness of drumstick of birds on 0.5% was significantly
(P<0.05) higher than the juiciness of drumstick of birds on other treatments. The result of overall acceptability indicated significant (P<0.05) increase in 0.5%. It can `be concluded that supplementation of turmeric powder to the diet of broiler chicken had no adverse effect on the organoleptic evaluation of drumstick of broiler chickens.