Innovative use of Dendrobium devonianum paxt stem residue as a bioactive feed additive: enhancing roasted chicken flavor and nutritional quality through metabolomics and molecular docking

Introduction This study evaluated the effects of Dendrobium devonianum Paxt stem residue (DPSR) and its fermented form (FDPSR) as dietary ingredients on broiler growth performance and roasted chicken quality. Methods A total of 63 white-feathered broilers were assigned to three dietary treatments for 45 days: CK (basal diet), DPSR (basal diet supplemented with 10% DPSR), and FDPSR (basal diet supplemented with 10% FDPSR), with three replicate pens per treatment and seven birds per pen. Roasted chicken breast was analyzed by texture profile analysis, oxidation-related assays, E-nose, E-tongue, LC-MS, HS-SPME-GC-MS, and molecular docking simulation analysis. Results During days 1–21, both DPSR and FDPSR reduced average daily gain to 24.70 and 26.60 g/bird/day, respectively, compared with 33.67 g/bird/day in the CK group ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, feed conversion ratios increased feed to 1.66 and 1.54 for DPSR and FDPSR, respectively, compared with 1.27 in the CK group (p < 0.05). In contrast, no significant differences were observed among treatments during days 22-45 or over the entire 45-day feeding period. In roasted chicken, DPSR improved selected textural attributes, whereas FDPSR was more strongly associated with flavor-related variations. Both treatments significantly reduced malondialdehyde content after roasting ( p < 0.05). Metabolomics identified 52 differential metabolites, with aldehydes being markedly higher in the FDPSR group (67.81%) than in the CK (43.56%) and DPSR (40.11%) groups. Molecular docking simulation suggested potentially favorable interactions between representative aroma compounds and selected olfactory receptors. Discussion Overall, DPSR and FDPSR altered the texture, oxidative stability, and flavor profiles of roasted chicken, with FDPSR demonstrating a more pronounced effect on flavor-related metabolites and volatile compounds. These findings provide preliminary support for the use of DPSR-based ingredients in poultry production, although further validation is required.