Fermented marigold meal enhances muscle nutrition and flavor in white feathered broilers via gut microbiota modulation

Zezhu Du; Yan Shen; Jinya Dong; Siyu Zhou; Yuanfeng Chen; Huiqing Luo; Shikuan Zhao; Zhiyu Li; Cheng Gong; Lihui Yu; Xiaocui Du; Tianjun Li; Yunfei Ge; Ruijuan Yang; Chongye Fang

doi:10.1016/j.fochx.2025.103165

Fermented marigold meal enhances muscle nutrition and flavor in white feathered broilers via gut microbiota modulation

Food Chem X. 2025 Oct 14:31:103165. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2025.103165. eCollection 2025 Oct.

Authors

Zezhu Du^{1

2}, Yan Shen^{1

2}, Jinya Dong^{1

2}, Siyu Zhou^{1

2}, Yuanfeng Chen^{1

2}, Huiqing Luo^{1

2}, Shikuan Zhao^{1

2}, Zhiyu Li^{1

2}, Cheng Gong^{2

3}, Lihui Yu², Xiaocui Du^{2

3}, Tianjun Li³, Yunfei Ge^{1

2}, Ruijuan Yang^{1

2}, Chongye Fang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
² Yunnan Research Center for Advanced Tea Processing, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
³ College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.

Abstract

Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) residue, a by-product of industrial lutein extraction, is rich in carotenoids and polyphenols, offering potential as a poultry feed additive. This study employed Lactobacillus plantarum for solid-state fermentation of marigold meal and evaluated dietary inclusion (5 % or 10 %) in broilers for 42 days. Fermented marigold meal had no significant effects on growth performance or basic meat quality (pH, color, water-holding capacity) but improved breast muscle composition by increasing non-essential amino acids (e.g., glutamate, GABA), n-3 PUFAs, and PUFA/SFA ratio, while reducing MUFAs. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed enrichment of beneficial bacteria (Parabacteroides, Lactobacillus) and higher butyric acid levels. GC-MS identified 171 volatile compounds, with elevated key aroma compounds (e.g., 2(3H)-furanone, Geranylacetone) in marigold-fed groups, linked to altered microbiota. Fermented marigold meal enhances meat nutrition and flavor through gut microbiota-mediated pathways, providing a sustainable approach for high-value utilization of agricultural by-products.

Keywords: Fatty acid; Flavor compounds; Gut microbiota; Marigold; Meat quality; White feather broilers.