Dietary Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) and Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) supplementation to growing rabbits: Effects on raw and cooked meat quality, nutrient true retention and oxidative stability

•Spirulina (5%) and Thyme (3%) were supplemented to the diet of growing rabbits.•Separate and combined Spirulina and Thyme dietary supplementations were tested.•Meat quality traits, nutrient true retention and oxidative stability were evaluated.•Spirulina increased the GLA and dihomo-GLA contents of both LTL and HL rabbit meat.•Thyme improved the oxidative stability of raw and freeze-dried HL meat.

The study evaluated the effect of Spirulina and Thyme dietary supplementation on rabbit meat quality, nutrient true retention and protection against oxidative stress. Rabbits in the control group (C–C) received a non-supplemented pellet throughout the experiment (5–11 weeks of age). In the other groups, the pellet contained 5% Spirulina (S), 3% Thyme (T), or both (ST) for either the entire (groups S–S, T–T, ST–ST) or only the final part of the growing period (8–11 weeks: groups C–S, C–T, C–ST). Spirulina supplementation increased the γ-linolenic acid content of rabbit meat, whereas Thyme improved the oxidative stability of raw and freeze-dried meat.