Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Change in Meat Quality of the Breast Muscle of Broilers Is Mediated by ROS Generation, Apoptosis, and Autophagy in the NF-κB Signal Pathway.

We investigated the relationship between meat quality and oxidative damage caused by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the breast muscle of broilers. Moreover, we explored the occurrence of apoptosis and autophagy, as well as the expression of NF-κB in these signaling pathways to provide evidence of possible oxidative damage mechanisms. The broilers received a basal diet and were randomly divided into five treatments (noninjected control, 0.75% saline-injected, and 2.5%, 5.0%, or 10.0% H2O2-injected treatments; 1.0 mL/kg in body weight). The results showed that oxidative stress induced by H2O2 had a negative effect on relative muscle weight, histomorphology, and redox status, while the underlying oxidative damage caused a decline in meat quality (decrease of pH24h, 10% H2O2 treatment; increase of shear force, 5% and 10% H2O2 treatments) of broilers. This could be attributed to the apoptosis and autophagy processes triggered by excessive reactive oxygen species that suppress the NF-κB signaling pathway.