The role of monochromatic lights was investigated on meat quality in day-old straight-run broiler chicks (n=360), divided into six light sources with six replicates having 10 chicks in each replicate.

The experiment is reported by M.J. Kim of the Republic of Korea's National Institute of Animal Science and co-authors there and at Chonnam National University in Poultry Science.

They used six light sources: incandescent bulbs (IBL, as a control) and light-emitting diode (LED) light colours as white light, blue light, red light, green light and yellow light.

Among LED groups, the red light increased the concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (P<0.001), saturated fatty acids (P<0.001) and the saturated:polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio (P<0.001) but reduced the concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, n-3 fatty acid and n-6 fatty acids.

The IBL increased the n-3 and sulphur-containing amino acids but reduced the n-6:n-3 ratio.

The white light improved the concentration of most of the essential amino acids (P<0.01) and non-essential amino acids (P<0.01) in breast meat.

Kim and co-authors concluded that the light produced by LED had similar effects to IBL light on the nutrient content of meat. LED was not decisive in improving fatty acid composition of meat. However, the role of IBL in reducing n-6:n-3 ratio and enhancing n-3 cannot be neglected, they commented. Among LED, white light increased the contents of essential and non-essential amino acid in the meat.

Reference

Kim M.J., R. Parvin, M.M.H. Mushtaq, J. Hwangbo, J.H. Kim, J.C. Na, D.W. Kim, H.K. Kang, C.D. Kim, K.O. Cho, C.B. Yang and H.C. Choi. 2013. Influence of monochromatic light on quality traits, nutritional, fatty acid, and amino acid profiles of broiler chicken meat. Poult. Sci. 92(11): 2844-2852. doi: 10.3382/ps.2013-03159

November 2013