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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2017
Feathers are a waste product generated in large quantities from commercial poultry processing. Recycling of feathers is an interesting subject among animal nutritionists, because of its potential as a cheap and alternative protein feedstuff. Although feathers are deficient in certain essential amino acids such as methionine, lysine, histidine and tryptophan, they contain other amino acids such as arginine, and threonine (Onifade et al., 1998). Feather waste has been used as feedstuff for poultry and livestock. Without appropriate processing, feather meal has little nutritive value because keratin is not degraded by most proteolytic enzymes. The proteolytic resistance of keratin results from its structural features tight packing of protein chains, hydrogen bonding among polypeptides, and hydrophobic interaction and stabilization of the super-coiled polypeptide chains (Onifade et al., 1998). Many treatments have been developed to increase the digestibility of feather meal and are usually categorized into two groups: hydrothermal treatments and microbial keratinolysis (Onifade et al., 1998). Food irradiation has been recognized as a reliable and safe method for preservation, improve hygienic quality and improve the nutritional value of foods (Diehl, 2002). Lee (1962) observed that sulfhydryl and disulphide groups in proteins are apparently highly susceptible to irradiation and destruction of disulphide bonds improves digestibility of proteins.