title: Citrus pulp as an ingredient in ostrich diet: effects on meat quality.
abstract: The purpose of this trial was to study the effects of citrus pulp inclusion in ostrich diets on meat quality, evaluated on iliofibularis and gastrocnemius muscles. M. iliofibularis had a lower ultimate pH (P<0.05) and was lighter in colour (P<0.05) than M. gastrocnemius. The latter had higher moisture (P<0.05) and lower crude protein contents (P<0.05) as compared to M. iliofibularis. M. gastrocnemius had a lower proportion of C14:0 (P<0.05), C16:0 (P<0.05) and C16:1 (P<0.05) and a higher percentage of C18:0 (P<0.05), C20:2ω6 (P<0.05), C20:4ω6 (P<0.05) and C20:5ω3 (P<0.05) than M. iliofibularis. Citrus pulp diet increased (P<0.05) meat ultimate pH and reduced cooking losses (P<0.05) as compared to the control diet. Meat from animals given citrus pulp had lower crude fat (P<0.05) and ash percentages (P<0.05) in comparison to that from the control group. The proportions of intramuscular saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were lower (P<0.05) in the citrus pulp group as compared to the control one. Meat from the citrus pulp treatment group had a higher (P<0.05) percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids than meat from the control treatment. In particular, meat from ostriches given citrus pulp diet exhibited higher C18:2ω6 (P<0.05) and C20:4ω6 (P<0.05) contents that accounted for a higher ω6/ω3 ratio (P<0.05) as compared to the control group. Overall, the use of a citrus pulp-included diet in ostrich feeding did not adversely affect meat quality and, therefore, citrus pulp seems to be a possible ingredient to reduce feeding costs.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Agronomiche, Agrochimiche e delle Produzioni Animali - sez, Scienze delle Produzioni Animali, Università di Catania, via Valdisavoia, 5 - 95123 Catania, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Lanza
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Fasone
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Galofaro
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Barbagallo
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Bella
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Pennisi