Nutritional Regulation of Poultry Meat Quality: Research Progress from Phenotypic Improvement to Mechanism Elucidation

Poultry meat quality, as a key determinant of consumer acceptance and industrial economic efficiency, is shaped through the synergistic regulation of multiple factors including genetic background, husbandry management practices, and nutritional strategies. Among these, nutritional regulation has emerged as one of the most promising avenues for enhancing meat quality due to its high degree of operability and precision in intervention. This study systematically reviews the effects and mechanisms of nutritional strategies on poultry meat quality. These interventions entail modulating dietary protein and amino acids, fats and fatty acids, minerals and vitamins, alongside incorporating plant extracts and functional additives. It delves into the latest research advances in nutritional regulation within poultry meat quality. By dissecting the physiological and molecular mechanisms through which different nutritional strategies enhance meat quality, this study elucidates the scientific rationale for their effects via pathways regulating muscle metabolism, redox homeostasis, and microstructure. Accordingly, this review provides theoretical foundations and research directions for producing high-quality, high-value-added poultry meat products through precision nutritional strategies.