Comparison of meat quality characteristics and oxidative stability between conventional and free range chickens

The aim of this research was to evaluate quality traits and oxidative stability of meat products from free range (FR) and conventionally (C) raised chickens as they actually reach consumers in the Italian retail market. FR female and male chickens (n=1500 + 1500), medium growing Isa strain, were raised under commercial conditions for 56 (1.8 kg of live wt.) and 70 d (3.1 kg of live wt.), respectively; C female and male birds (n=5000 + 5000) were a fast growing hybrid (Ross 708) and were separately raised for 39 (1.9 kg of live wt.) and 50 d (3.1 kg of live wt.), respectively. A total of 96 chickens (equally divided by production system and sex) were slaughtered into 2 separate sessions, to obtain the main two commercial categories (rotisserie and cut-up, respectively). After slaughtering, 12 carcasses of each treatment group were randomly selected and used to assess quality properties, chemical composition and oxidation stability of breast and leg meat. C birds had dramatic higher carcass and breast meat yield, whereas FR had higher wing and leg yields. FR birds exhibited higher water holding capacity in both breast and leg meat. Although shear force did not differ in breast meat, legs from FR birds were tougher. Fatty acid composition of FR breast and thigh meat of both categories were characterized by a higher PUFA n-6-/n-3 ratio. In general, a low lipid oxidation level (peroxide value (PV) < 1.3 meq O2/kg of lipid and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs) < 0.2 mg MDA/kg of sample) was found in breast and legs, regardless of the commercial category. However, the C system significantly increased PV in rotisserie thigh meat, whereas FR led to a significantly higher TBARs in breast meat. Our results demonstrated that free range can modify the properties of chicken meat and also highlighted the importance of the animal genetic background to select nutritional strategies to improve meat quality traits and oxidative stability in poultry.