Lipid stability, antioxidant potential and fatty acid composition of broilers breast meat as influenced by quercetin in combination with α-tocopherol enriched diets

Abstract

Background: Dietary supplementation of antioxidants is a vital route to affect the oxidative stability and fatty acid profile of broiler meat. The supplementation of feed with antioxidants decreases degradation of lipids in muscles thereby enhances meat stability.

Methods: The present study was carried out to investigate the influence of dietary quercetin in combination with α-tocopherol on growth performance, antioxidant potential, lipid stability and fatty acid composition in breast meat of birds. Accordingly, one day old 300 Hubbard strain male broiler birds were given three levels of quercetin @100, 200 and 300 mg/kg feed in combination with α-tocopherol @150, 225 and 300 mg/kg feed. The resultant meat was subjected to antioxidant assay, lipid stability, quantification of antioxidants followed by fatty acid profile of broiler breast meat.

Results: The results explicated that feed treatments imparted momentous effect on gain in weight, and feed conversion efficiency however, intake of feed in birds affected non-momentously. The highest weight gain recorded in T9 as 2374.67 & 2388 g/bird followed by T8 & T6 2350 & 2353.33 and 2293.33 & 2307 g/bird, respectively whilst the lowest in T0 as 1992.67 & 1999 g/bird during the experimental year 2013 and 2014. The results regarding antioxidant potential revealed that among treatments, T9 exhibited highest values for total phenolic contents (TPC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) & ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) i.e. 158.70 ± 0.84 mg GAE/100 g, 82.40 ± 0.93% and 682 ± 2.11 μmol/Fe(+2/)g, respectively as compared to T0 104.27 ± 1.64 mg GAE/100 g, 54.71 ± 0.64% and 542.67 ± 1.74 μmol/Fe(+2) /g of meat, correspondingly. The TBARS assay indicated that malondialdehydes production in meat increased during storage however, antioxidants deposition varied significantly among treatments. Fatty acid compositional analysis revealed that addition of quercetin with α-tocopherol in the bird's diet decreased the fatty acid generation particularly saturated fatty acids.

Conclusion: Conclusively, dietary supplementation of quercetin along with α-tocopherol improves growth performance, antioxidant capacity, stability of lipids and fatty acid composition in breast meat of birds.

Fig. 1

Ferric reducing antioxidant power of broiler breast meat for the year 2013 and 2014. T0 = control without antioxidants;T1 = 100 mg quercetin + 150 mg α-tocpherol/kg feed; T2 = 100 mg quercetin + 225 mg α-tocpherol/kg feed; T3 = 100 mg quercetin + 300 mg α-tocpherol/kg feed; T4 = 200 mg quercetin + 150 mg α-tocpherol/kg feed;T5 = 200 mg quercetin + 225 mg α-tocpherol/kg feed; T6 = 200 mg quercetin + 30 0 mg α-tocpherol/kg feed; T7 = 300 mg quercetin + 150 mg α-tocpherol/kg feed; T8 = 300 mg quercetin + 225 mg α-tocpherol/kg feed; T9 = 300 mg quercetin + 300 mg α-tocpherol/kg feed

Fig. 2

Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) of broiler breast meat fed on quercetin and α-tocopherol supplemented feed. a. TBARS for broiler breast meat fed on antioxidant enriched feed during the year 2013. b. TBARS for broiler breast meat fed on antioxidant enriched feed during the year 2013