Partial Replacement of Soybean Protein (30%) with Nannochloropsis oceanica in Broiler Diets: Effects on Growth Performance and Meat Quality

Abstract

The use of human-edible materials like soy in animal feed raises several concerns, as it contributes to high greenhouse gas emissions and requires significant land and water use for agriculture. For this reason, research is exploring alternative ingredients rich in proteins like microalgae, which offer potential nutritional and environmental benefits. Species like Nannochloropsis are promising since their use for human consumption is very limited, making them non-competitive with human food. This article aims to formulate a poultry feed in which 30% of the crude protein from soybean meal is replaced by Nannochloropsis oceanica single-cell ingredients. Growth parameters have been evaluated in comparison with a diet based on soy protein. Additionally, the effect on meat quality was assessed by evaluating nutritional, texture, stability, and sensory parameters. Results showed that the microalgae diet caused a slight reduction in animal growth due to lower digestibility of the feed. Considering the quality parameters of the meat, no differences were found in terms of shelf life and physicochemical parameters, except for the color. The microalgae diet significantly increased the content of n-3 fatty acids and carotenoids in the meat. Finally, regarding sensory properties, the only change detected was in the amount of exudate.