Effect of Citric Acid on Carcass Characteristics and Physico Chemical Attributes of Broiler Chickens

With the removal of antibiotics, the poultry industry is challenged with identifying a valid alternative to antibiotics with similar capabilities. Organic acids like citric acid are agents with the capability to reduce pathogenic bacteria and increase nutrient digestibility through their effect on the pH in the gastrointestinal tract. Citric acid improves animal welfare and economic concerns in the poultry industry by reducing body weight loss and improving meat quality attributes. Citric acid supplementation in feeds diminishes microorganisms within the gastrointestinal tract and consequently enhances feed intake and digestion, with positive effects on growth rate and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A review was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE (published articles) to determine the effect of citric acid supplementation on carcass characteristics, physico chemical attributes and sensory attributes of broiler chickens. Findings indicated that organic acids such as citric acid may improve animal welfare and economic problems in the chicken business by lowering body weight loss and enhancing meat quality qualities. At the same time, citric acid supplementation had an antibacterial effect on the growth of microorganisms. This shows that citric acid can be used in broiler chickens to improve performance and meat quality. The current review evaluates the effect of various citric acid level supplementation on carcass characteristics, physico chemical attributes and sensory attributes of broiler chickens.