EN
The study was conducted on 36 female Pharaoh quails (3 groups, 12 birds per group). The experiment covered the 7th to the 20th weeks of birds’ lives. The control group (I) received standard feed formulated for adult quails. Groups II and III received standard feed with 4% and 7% of amaranth seeds, respectively. All feeds were isoproteinous and isocaloric. At the age of weeks 20, 12 females were randomly selected from each group and slaughtered. In the isolated breast and leg muscles water-holding capacity, thermal drip, colour, basic chemical composition, fatty acids profile were determined and sensory evaluation performed. Amaranth seed supplementation showed no effect on the basic chemical composition of breast and legs muscles and fatty acids profile. Deterioration in the flavor of cooked quail breast muscle was observed with the higher dosage of the seeds in the diet.Improved muscle tenderness was observed in birds receiving 4% of amaranth seeds in the diet.