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Review
. 2022 Apr 19;12(9):1054.
doi: 10.3390/ani12091054.

The Impact of Herbal Additives for Poultry Feed on the Fatty Acid Profile of Meat

Karolina Jachimowicz  1 , Anna Winiarska-Mieczan  1 , Ewa Tomaszewska  2
Affiliations
Review

The Impact of Herbal Additives for Poultry Feed on the Fatty Acid Profile of Meat

Karolina Jachimowicz et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

Researchers often found that herbal additives to chicken feed can favorably alter the fatty acid profile of the meat. The most desirable effects of diet modification comprise an increased content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and a reduced content of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in the breast and thigh muscles. A modified fatty acid profile contributes to improvement in the quality of poultry meat, which is reflected in its increased consumption. However, it may be problematic that PUFAs are oxidized easier than other lipids, which can have a negative impact on the sensory traits of meat. By contrast, herbs and herbal products contain antioxidants that can prevent the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol present in animal-origin products and increase the antioxidant potential of the consumer's body. This paper aims to review the influence of herbal additives for broiler chicken diets on the fatty acid profile of poultry meat. Special attention was paid to changes in the content of SFAs, MUFAs, and PUFAs, but also alterations in the omega-6:omega-3 ratio. The presented reference literature supports the statement that herbs and bioactive components of herbs added to chicken diets can improve the quality of broiler chicken meat by altering the content of fatty acids.

Keywords: broiler chickens; fatty acid profile; herbal additives; herbs; meat quality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The positive effects of herbal additives on broiler chicken feed.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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