# Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Fermented Zanthoxylum schinifolium Leaves on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Sensory Traits in Sanhuang Chicken

## TL;DR

Adding fermented Zanthoxylum schinifolium leaves to chicken feed improves meat quality, growth, and flavor in Sanhuang chickens.

## Contribution

This study demonstrates that fermented ZSLs enhance meat quality and sensory traits in chickens more effectively than unfermented ZSLs.

## Key findings

- 6% fermented ZSLs increased leg muscle by 7.4% and reduced abdominal fat by 22.6%.
- Fermented ZSLs increased polyunsaturated fatty acids and improved umami and sweet amino acid levels.
- Fermented ZSLs enhanced chicken meat aroma and flavor.

## Abstract

Incorporating specific nutritional supplements into animal diets can significantly enhance the quality and various characteristics of animal meat. This study investigated the effects of fermented Zanthoxylum schinifolium leaves (ZSLs) on growth performance, meat quality, and sensory attributes in Sanhuang chickens. Three hundred one-day-old Sanhuang chickens were randomly divided into five groups and reared for 70 days: NC (control, basal diet), NF (6% unfermented ZSLs), LDG (3% fermented ZSLs), MDG (6% fermented ZSLs), and HDG (9% fermented ZSLs). Supplementation with 6% fermented ZSLs significantly increased the leg muscle percentage by 7.4% and decreased the abdominal fat percentage by 22.6%. Meat quality improved notably in MDG, with higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Increasing the proportion of fermented ZSLs enhanced the levels of umami amino acids and sweet amino acids by 36.5% and 11.6%, respectively. Additionally, the enhancement of aroma and flavor of chicken may be correlated with supplementation of fermented ZSLs. These results establish fermented ZSLs as a valuable feed additive for improving production efficiency and meat quality in Sanhuang chickens.