Breast meat quality of broilers fed fermented red ginseng marc powder mixed with red-koji during storage

The breast meat quality of broilers fed four different types of red ginseng marc (DTRG) during storage was investigated in this study. The experiment had a completely randomized design with four groups and four replicates; 240 Arbor Acres broiler chicks (160 male and 80 female) were used. The groups consisted of the control, 2% red ginseng marc, 1% fermented red ginseng marc with red-koji, and 2% liquid red ginseng. No remarkable effects on pH values of breast meat were observed in groups fed DTRG during storage (but not the group fed 1% fermented red ginseng combined with red-koji). Both groups and storage had a significant effect (p< 0.05) on L*, a*, and b* values (but not L* values at 7 days, a* values at 1 day, and b* values at 7 days or L* values in T3 groups and a* values in T1 groups over storage). DPPH radical-scavenging activity showed significant differences (p< 0.05) between groups and storage days. In conclusion, diets supplemented with 1% fermented red ginseng powder combined with red-koji is helpful in improving DPPH radical-scavenging activity (antioxidant effect) in broiler breast meat, possibly because of the saponins present in red ginseng marc.