Fatty acid profile, oxidative stability, and sensory properties of breast meat from turkeys fed diets with a differentn-6/n-3 PUFA ratio

Effects of Short- and Medium-Chain Fatty Acids on Production, Meat Quality, and Microbial Attributes-A Review

The non-therapeutic use of antimicrobials in poultry production contributes to the spread of drug-resistant pathogens in both birds and humans. Antibiotics are known to enhance feed efficiency and promote the growth and weight gain of poultry. New regulatory requirements and consumer preferences have led to a reduced use of antibiotics in poultry production and to the discovery of natural alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. This interest is not only focused on the direct removal or inhibition of causative microorganisms but also on the prevention of diseases caused by enteric pathogens using a range of feed additives. A group of promising feed additives is composed of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SCFAs and MCFAs) and their derivatives. MCFAs possess antibacterial, anticoccidial, and antiviral effects. In addition, it has been proven that these acids act in synergy if they are used together with organic acids, essential oils, or probiotics. These fatty acids also benefit intestinal health integrity and homeostasis in broilers. Other effects have been documented as well, such as an increase in intestinal angiogenesis and the gene expression of tight junctions. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of SCFAs and MCFAs as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters and to summarize the current findings in the literature to show their possible benefits on production, meat quality, and gut health in poultry.

Effects of replacing soybean meal with linseed meal in broiler diet on selected broilers’ blood parameters, meat chemical composition, fatty acid profiles, and sensory characteristics

The study was conducted with the objective of determining the effects of the dietary replacement of soybean meal with graded levels of linseed meal on selected blood parameters, meat composition, fatty acid profiles, and meat quality of broiler chickens. Cobb500 broilers were fed diets containing linseed meal at 0% (T1), 6.5% (T2), 13% (T3), 19.5 (T4), and 26% (T5), replacing 0% to 100% soybean meal in compound rations for 45 days. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with five treatments, each replicated three times with 12 birds. Blood hematological indices were not affected (P>0.05) by treatment diets while among the blood biochemistry triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in T1 were higher (P<0.05) than in T3, T4, and T5. Glucose was higher in T3, T4, and T5 than in T1 and T2 (P<0.01). The breast and thigh proximate composition for crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), ash, carbohydrate, and gross energy were similar (P>0.05) among treatments. The sensory scores for breast and thigh meat samples were not different (P>0.05) among treatments. The palmitic acid content of breast and thigh meat was higher (P<0.05) in T1 and T2 than in the other treatments. Eliadic and stearic acid concentrations in thigh meat were greater (P<0.05) in T1, T2, and T3 than in T4 and T5. The oleic and linoleic acid contents of thigh meat were higher (P<0.05) in T2 and T3 than in the rest of the treatments. Breast linolenic acid was high (P<0.05) in T5 but similar in thigh meat. Total saturated fatty acid (SFA) showed a decreasing trend with an increasing level of linseed meal (LSM) in the ration. The ratio of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) to SFA for breast and thigh was higher in T4 and T5 than in T1 and T2. Breast meat ratio of omega-6 (n-6) to omega-3 (n-3) showed a decreasing trend as the level of LSM replacement for soybean meal (SBM) in the ration increased. Generally, linseed meal replacement levels up to 26% in the broilers’ diet improves the essential fatty acid content of chicken meat without affecting the proximate composition and the chickens’ normal blood indices and does not alter meat sensory attributes.

Changes in lipids metabolism indices as a result of different form of selenium supplementation in chickens

Selenium is an essential element that is important for many metabolic processes. Feed components used in chicken nutrition, especially cereals, may be deficient in selenium, hence selenium supplementation is necessary. Taking into account the progress in breeding, and thus the higher demand of birds for this element, it seems obvious to investigate an increased selenium dose in the diet of chickens. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of feed enriched with different forms of selenium at an increased dose of 0.5 mg/kg feed on the profile and metabolism of fatty acids in the breast muscle and liver of chickens. The study was conducted on 300 Ross 308 chickens reared for 42 days under standard conditions. The control group received feed supplemented with sodium selenite at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg feed. The research groups received different forms of selenium (sodium selenate, selenised yeast, nano-selenium) at an increased dose of 0.5 mg/kg feed. The study showed that the administration of different forms of selenium in the feed affected its concentration in the breast muscle and liver (p ≤ 0.01). Nano-selenium was found to have a high bioavailability, but also a lower risk of toxicity compared to other forms of selenium. Using different forms of selenium (p ≤ 0.01) at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg feed can significantly modify the fatty acid profile, lipid and enzymatic indices of fatty acid metabolism in breast muscle and liver.

Growth Performance, Antioxidant Activity, Immune Status, Meat Quality, Liver Fat Content, and Liver Histomorphology of Broiler Chickens Fed Rice Bran Oil

Simple Summary

There are numerous approaches for enrichment of broiler’s meat with valuable nutrients, for instance the enrichment with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The addition of vegetable oils in the diets of broilers is an appropriate strategy to enrich the chicken meat with beneficial FA, however, this enrichment is accompanied by a lipid peroxidation with a resultant decrease in the nutritional value, quality, and shelf-life of the meat, and for that reason, the dietary supplementation with antioxidants becomes necessary. What places rice bran oil (RBO) on top of other vegetable oils is its antioxidant components and unique fatty acid profile and it is reported to induce substantial lipid-reducing effects and antioxidant properties. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the influence of RBO inclusion in the diets of broiler chickens on performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, meat quality, antioxidant activity, liver lipid content, and liver histological structure. RBO inclusion had a positive effect on the growing performance, dressing percentage, and immune status. Furthermore, RBO supplementation decreased the abdominal fat yield and EE content in the meat, while it increased the content of PUFA in the meat, which may be beneficial for consumers. RBO improved the antioxidant capacity of the meat and the liver, whereas it reduced the concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, meat and liver. RBO could be used as an efficient ingredient in broiler chickens’ diets to improve performance, immune status, antioxidant activity, blood lipid profile, and the nutritive value of meat.

Abstract

This trial was performed to determine the effect of rice bran oil (RBO) inclusion in diets of broiler chickens on performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, meat quality, antioxidant activity, liver lipid content, and liver histological structure. The 35-day feeding trial was conducted on 240 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens, allocated to four treatment groups with six replicates each. RBO was examined at different inclusion levels, 0% (control), 1% (RBO_1%), 1.5% (RBO_1.5%), and 2% (RBO_2%) in a completely randomized design. The results showed that at the end of the trial (35 days) the RBO supplementation had positive effects (p < 0.001) on the productivity parameters, but the feed intake was linearly decreased due to RBO inclusion. In addition, RBO supplementation linearly improved (p < 0.05) the dressing percentage, breast yield, immune organs relative weights, and meat glutathione concentration, while it decreased (p < 0.01) the abdominal fat yield and meat crude fat, triglycerides, cholesterol, and Malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in broiler’s meat. Moreover, serum total protein, globulin, and high-density lipoprotein contents improved noticeably (p < 0.01) due to offering an RBO-supplemented diet, but serum total lipids, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations linearly reduced (p < 0.01). The RBO supplementation augmented (p < 0.05) the phagocytic index, phagocytic activity, and antibody titer compared to control. On the other hand, RBO inclusion had no effect on the breast, thigh, or abdominal fat color parameters. Moreover, RBO supplementation reduced (p < 0.01) the content of total saturated FA (SFA), but increased (p < 0.01) the content of total monounsaturated FA (MUFA), and polyunsaturated FA in both breast and thigh meat. Chemical analysis of the liver tissue samples revealed that the inclusion of RBO linearly reduced (p < 0.05) hepatic cholesterol, triglyceride, and MDA contents. Histologically, the lipid percentage and number of lipid droplets (p < 0.01) were markedly lessened in the RBO-supplemented groups. The histological structure of the liver asses by light and electron microscope were normal in all groups without any pathological lesions. It is concluded that RBO could be used as a valuable ingredient in broiler chickens’ diets to stimulate the growing performance and immune status, enhance the antioxidant activity and blood lipid profile, augment liver function, and improve the nutritive value of the meat.

Review: Production factors affecting poultry carcass and meat quality attributes

Poultry meat mainly comes from standard production system using high growth rate strains reared under indoor intensive conditions. However, it is possible to find also different alternative systems using outdoor extensive rearing conditions and slow-growing lines. These different production systems can affect carcass and meat quality. In this review, quality has been broken down into six properties: commercial, organoleptic, nutritional, technological, sanitary and image, the latter covering the ethical, cultural and environmental dimensions associated with the way the meat is produced, as well as its origin and being particularly valued in many quality labels. The quality of meat is built and can deteriorate along the continuum from the conception of the animal to the fork. Our review details the different factors implicated in the determinism of poultry meat properties and pinpoints critical periods, such as the preslaughter and slaughter periods, and key factors, such as the feeding regimen, via its direct effect on the fatty acid profile, the antioxidant and volatile compound contents, and indirect effects mediated via the growth rate of the bird. Our review also highlights potential antagonisms between different dimensions of quality. The genetic selection for breast meat yield, for example, has been effective in producing carcasses with higher meat yield, but resulting since a decade in the increased occurrence of quality defects and myopathies (white striping, wooden breast, spaghetti meat and deep pectoral disease). Outdoor access has positive effects on the image and nutritional properties (through its effect on the fatty acid profile of meat lipids), but it increases the exposition risk to environmental contaminants and pathologies (parasites, virus, bacteria); it also increases the variability in meat quality linked to the variability of animal performance and slaughter age. The orientation towards more agro-ecological low-input farming systems may present benefits for the image and nutritional properties, but also risks for the commercial (low carcass weight and low breast yield, irregularity in supply), organoleptic (stronger flavour, less tender and darker colour of the meat) and in terms of variability of the different properties that constitute quality. Efforts should be made in the future to better take into account the various dimensions of quality, in consumer information, payment to farmers and genetic selection.

Duration of the flaxseed diet promotes deposition of n-3 fatty acids in the meat and skin of Peking ducks

BACKGROUND

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly n-3, have beneficial effects on human health, and for this reason foodstuffs with increased content of n-3 PUFA are now very common and widely available.

DESIGN

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the duration of a flaxseed diet on Peking duck's growth performance, antioxidant status, gene expression, and fatty acid profile of the meat. A total of 792 12-day-old white Peking ducks were divided into four groups. In the control group, animals were provided with a basal diet. In the three experimental groups, animals were fed a 10% flax seed diet with vitamin E at 13, 23, and 33 days of age for 30, 20, and 10 days, respectively.

RESULTS

The growth performance of the ducks decreased with flaxseed diet's duration. Both body weight and body weight gain decreased linearly while Feed conversion ratios (FCR) increased in the group of ducks fed flaxseed compared to control ducks. Serum triglycerides (TG), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) linearly decreased while high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels increased by feeding flaxseed up to 30 days. The expression of lipin-1 gene (LPIN-1) and fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) linearly increased in ducks fed flaxseed for 30 days. Linolenic acid (n-3) and its long-chain metabolites like eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and total n-3 fatty acids (FA) linearly increased while the ratio of n-6 to n-3 was reduced with increased duration of flaxseed supplementation.

CONCLUSION

Overall, we found that increasing the duration of flaxseed diet with vitamin E for more than 10 days had a mild adverse effect on duck's growth performance but enrichedits meat with long-chain PUFA and decreased the n-6 to n-3 ratio, providing quality meat for health-conscious consumers. A period of 20 days is good for producing n-3 enriched Peking duck meat and skin.

Is Meat of Breeder Turkeys so Different from That of Standard Turkeys?

The technological, nutritional, and sensorial quality of breasts and thighs with drumsticks of turkey male and female breeders was characterized by comparison with breasts and thighs with drumsticks of growing male and female turkeys from the Grademaker line (hybrid turkeys, n = 20 birds per sex and per physiological stage). The breeder turkeys were slaughtered at 397 and 410 days of age and 10.42 and 32.67 kg of body weight for the females and males, respectively. The standard turkeys were slaughtered at 75 and 103 days of age and 5.89 and 13.48 kg of body weight for the females and males, respectively. The differences observed between males and females on one hand and between standard and breeder turkeys on the other hand were mainly induced by differences in slaughter ages and sexual dimorphism on body weight. The meat of female breeders had characteristics close to those of female and male standard turkeys, whereas the meat of male breeders was clearly distinguishable, particularly by displaying lower tenderness and water holding capacity.

Fatty acid profile, oxidative stability and sensory quality of breast meat from turkeys fed diets with graded levels of flaxseed oil for different periods of time

The effect of partial or complete substitution (2.5% and 5%, respectively) of flaxseed oil for soybean oil on the fatty acid profile, oxidative stability and sensory quality of turkey breast meat was studied. Turkeys were fed experimental diets for 3, 4, 5 or 6 weeks before being slaughtered at 16 weeks of age. The percentages of α-linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in the total fatty acid pool of meat were determined by dietary intake and feeding duration. Even a prolonged dietary treatment with 5% flaxseed oil did not significantly increase the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content of the turkey meat and did not have a detrimental effect on the sensory properties. The recommended n-6 : n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio (<4 : 1) in turkey meat can be easily achieved by feeding turkeys a diet containing 2.5% flaxseed oil for 3 weeks. To maintain the above ratio and increase eicosapentaenoic acid concentrations in the meat, the diet should contain 5% flaxseed oil.

The Fatty Acid Profile and Oxidative Stability of Meat from Turkeys Fed Diets Enriched with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Dried Fruit Pomaces as a Source of Polyphenols

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of different dietary fruit pomaces in reducing lipid oxidation in the meat of turkeys fed diets with a high content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Over a period of 4 weeks before slaughter, turkeys were fed diets with the addition of 5% dried apple, blackcurrant, strawberry and seedless strawberry pomaces (groups AP, BP, SP and SSP, respectively) and 2.5% linseed oil. Pomaces differed in the content (from 5.5 in AP to 43.1 mg/g in SSP) and composition of polyphenols Proanthocyanidins were the main polyphenolic fraction in all pomaces, AP contained flavone glycosides and dihydrochalcones, BP contained anthocyanins, and SP and SSP-ellagitannins. The n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in all diets was comparable and lower than 2:1. In comparison with groups C and AP, the percentage of n-3 PUFAs in the total fatty acid pool of white meat from the breast muscles of turkeys in groups BP, SP and SSP was significantly higher, proportionally to the higher content of α-linolenic acid in berry pomaces. The fatty acid profile of dark meat from thigh muscles, including the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, was similar and lower than 3:1 in all groups. Vitamin A levels in raw breast muscles were higher in group AP than in groups C and BP (P<0.05). The addition of fruit pomaces to turkey diets lowered vitamin E concentrations (P = 0.001) in raw breast muscles relative to group C. Diets supplemented with fruit pomaces significantly lowered the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in raw, frozen and cooked meat. Our results indicate that the dietary application of dried fruit pomaces increases the oxidative stability of meat from turkeys fed linseed oil, and strawberry pomace exerted the most desirable effects due to its highest polyphenol content and antioxidant potential.

Effect of synbiotic supplementation and dietary fat sources on broiler performance, serum lipids, muscle fatty acid profile and meat quality

A 42-d trial was conducted to investigate the effect of adding a synbiotic supplement to diets containing two different types of fat on performance, blood lipids and fatty acid (FA) composition and oxidative stability of breast and thigh meat in broilers. A total of 800 one-d-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned into 1 of 8 treatments with 4 replicates of 25 birds per treatment. The experiment consisted of a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments including 4 concentrations of synbiotic (0, 0.5, 1 or 1.5 g/kg diet) and 2 types of fat [sunflower oil (SO) or canola oil (CO)] at an inclusion rate of 50 g/kg diet. Dietary fat type did not affect body weight gain (BWG) or feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the overall experimental period (0-42 d). However, fat type modified serum lipid profile and FA composition and 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) content in breast and thigh meat. The addition of synbiotic to the diet linearly improved overall BWG and FCR and also decreased serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. The TBARS value in thigh meat after 30 d of storage at 4°C was linearly decreased as the synbiotic inclusion concentrations in the diets increased. Dietary synbiotic also decreased the proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids and increased n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentration in thigh meat, whereas the FA profile of breast meat was not affected by synbiotic supplementation. Moreover, the PUFA/SFA ratio in the breast meat was linearly increased when synbiotic was included in the CO-containing diets. In conclusion, the addition of synbiotic to broiler diets had a positive effect on growth performance, blood lipid profile and meat quality. The results also support the use of synbiotic to increase the capacity of canola oil for enhancing PUFA/SFA ratio of breast meat in broilers.

The effects of high-fat diets composed of different animal and vegetable fat sources on the health status and tissue lipid profiles of male Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Objective

The current study aimed to investigate the impact of high-fat diets composed of different animal and vegetable fat sources on serum metabolic health markers in Japanese quail, as well as the overall lipid content and fatty acid profiles of the edible bird tissues following significantly increased dietary lipid supplementation.

Methods

Fifty seven male quail were divided into six groups and fed either a standard diet or a diet enriched with one of five different fats (22% coconut oil, lard, palm oil, soybean oil, or sunflower oil) for 12 weeks. The birds were subjected to an oral glucose tolerance test following the feeding period, after which they were euthanized and blood, liver, breast, and thigh muscle samples collected. Total fat content and fatty acid profiles of the tissue samples, as well as serum uric acid, triglyceride, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, aspartate transaminase, and total bilirubin concentrations were assessed.

Results

High-fat diet feeding had no significant effects on the glucose tolerance of the birds. Dietary fatty acid profiles of the added fats were reflected in the lipid profiles of both the liver and breast and thigh muscle tissues, indicating successful transfer of dietary fatty acids to the edible bird tissues. The significantly increased level of lipid inclusion in the diets of the quail used in the present study was unsuccessful in increasing the overall lipid content of the edible bird tissues. Serum metabolic health markers in birds on the high-fat diets were not significantly different from those observed in birds on the standard diet.

Conclusion

Thus, despite the various high-fat diets modifying the fatty acid profile of the birds’ tissues, unlike in most mammals, the birds maintained a normal health status following consumption of the various high-fat diets.