Broiler meat fatty acids composition, lipid metabolism, and oxidative stability parameters as affected by cranberry leaves and walnut meal supplemented diets.

A randomized complete block with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement was used to design a nutrition experiment conducted for the evaluation of the relation between walnut meal (WM-6% inclusion rate) and cranberry leaves (CL-1% and 2% inclusion rate) supplements and their effects on tissue lipid profile, lipid metabolism indices and oxidative stability of meat. Semi-intensive system conditions were simulated for 240 Ross 308 broilers and the animals were reared on permanent shave litter in boxes of 3 m2 (40 broilers / each group, housed in a single box). The current study results showed that the diets enriched in linolenic acid (LNA) (WM diets) led to broilers meat enriched in LNA, but the synthesis of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) was stimulated when the diets were supplemented with a natural antioxidants source (CL diets). The CL diet also exhibited the most powerful effect in counteracting the oxidative processes of meat.

Effects of Supplementing Sea Buckthorn Leaves (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) and Chromium (III) in Broiler Diet on the Nutritional Quality and Lipid Oxidative Stability of Meat.

Nowadays, the consumer trend towards healthier food choices is unquestionable. Meat products enriched with nutrients, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, are gaining much more interest among consumers. However, products are susceptible to quality deterioration and a short shelf-life of meat through lipid oxidation due to the lack of antioxidants in the meat. In this regard, the efficacy of dietary sea buckthorn leaves (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) together with Chromium on the nutritional quality of meat and lipid oxidative stability was investigated. An experiment (28 days long) was carried out on 90 Cobb 500 chickens assigned into three treatments: a control treatment based on corn and soybean meal, without Chromium (T0) and two treatments supplemented either with 0.00002% Chromium (T1) or with 0.00002% Chromium and 2% sea buckthorn leaves (T2). Dietary supplementation of SBL and Cr improved the PUFA/MUFA ratio, DHA concentration and decreased the n-6/n-3 ratio compared to the other treatments. Moreover, the breast and thigh meat belonging to T1 and T2 treatments showed a higher concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin, Fe and Zn and expressed a higher antioxidant capacity compared to those from T0. Furthermore, n-6 and n-3 PUFA deposited preferentially in the thigh meat rather than in the breast meat. The results from the study showed that dietary SBL and Cr significantly improved the fatty acid pattern and the oxidative stability of chicken breast meat, lowering the TBARS level after storage. In conclusion, SBL and Cr are promising dietary bioactive compounds with beneficial effects to obtain nutrient-enriched meat products.

Rosehip (Rosa canina L.) Meal as a Natural Antioxidant on Lipid and Protein Quality and Shelf-Life of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Enriched Eggs.

Eggs are a common food of animal origin, inexpensive, and rich in bioactive substances with high biological value. Eggs enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are extremely desired by the progressive consumer. However, during storage, eggs undergo some physiochemical changes, which decrease their value. In this regard, the effect of dietary rosehip meal and flaxseed meal on hens' egg quality characteristics, amino acids, fatty acids, health-related indices, antioxidant capacity, total polyphenols content, and shelf life was examined. For this study 120 Tetra SL laying hens, 29 weeks of age, were fed, for 4 weeks, three diets that included control (basal diet­RF0), basal diet + 1.5% rosehip and 7% flaxseed meal (RF1), and basal diet + 3% rosehip and 7% flaxseed meal (RF2). Productive performance of hens were recorded. The content of essential amino acids (EAA), antioxidant amino acids (AAA), and sulfur amino acids (SAA) was higher in RF1 and RF2, compared with RF0. Eggs belonging to the RF1 and RF2 groups had significantly (p < 0.05) higher content of n-3 PUFAs, especially linolenic and docosahexaenoic acids. Total antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content increased in both rosehip supplemented groups, but especially in RF2. Moreover, eggs from RF1 and RF2 groups maintained significantly higher egg quality parameters after storage for 14 and 28 days in the refrigerator (5 °C) and ambient temperature (21 °C), compared with those from the RF0 group. In the Haugh unit, yolk and albumen pH presented better values in RF1 and RF2 eggs compared to the RF0 eggs.

Creeping Wood Sorrel and Chromium Picolinate Effect on the Nutritional Composition and Lipid Oxidative Stability of Broiler Meat.

The study investigates the efficacy of Cr in broilers, aiming to evaluate the effects of Chromium picolinate (CrPic) in association with creeping wood sorrel powder (CWS) on the proximate composition, fatty acids profile, bioactive nutrients and lipid oxidative stability of broiler meat. A total of 120 Cobb 500 chickens were assigned into three treatments: a control diet (C) and two test diets, including 200 µg/kg diet CrPic (E1), and 200 µg/kg diet CrPic +10 g CWS/kg diet (E2). Dietary supplementation with Cr + CWS significantly improved the concentration of n - 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), while its n - 6/n - 3 ratio decreased in comparison to the group receiving Cr and the conventional diet. The concentration of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) significantly increased in the breast meat collected from the E2 group than that from the C group. Dietary administration of Cr and CWS improved lutein and zeaxanthin content, decreased Fe and Zn levels of the breast, and increased Zn deposition in the thigh samples. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration decreased more in the thigh meat of the supplemental groups (E1, E2) than in that from the C group. In conclusion, the current study suggests that Cr together with CWS can be a viable option as antioxidant sources for broiler diets, promoting the nutritional quality of meat.

Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Compounds of Basil, Thyme and Sage Plant Additives and Their Functionality on Broiler Thigh Meat Quality.

Meat industries across the world are constantly focusing to find natural low-cost additives for the development of novel meat products to meet consumer demand for improving the health benefits. In this study, we investigated the chemical composition and the bioactive compounds of some herbal plants, namely basil, thyme, sage, and their functionality on broiler chicken thigh meat quality. Chemical composition, as well as total antioxidant activity, polyphenols, vitamin E lutein and zeaxanthin and the fatty acids of the plants, were analyzed. According to findings, total polyphenols was 21.53 mg gallic acid/g in basil, 31.73 mg gallic acid/g in thyme and 38.87 mg gallic acid/g in sage. The antioxidant capacity was 19.91 mM Trolox in basil, 54.09 mM Trolox in thyme and 54.09 mM Trolox in sage. Lutein and zeaxanthin from basil was 267.91 mg/kg, 535.79 mg/kg in thyme and 99.89 mg/kg, and vitamin E ranged from 291.71 mg/kg in basil to 379.37 mg/kg in thyme and 148.07 mg/kg in sage, respectively. After, we developed a trial on 120 unsexed broiler chickens (n = 30) which were separated into four groups with six replications of five chickens each: control (C); 1% basil (B); 1% thyme (T) and 1% sage (S). The B, T and S groups deposited significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentration of zinc, polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and vitamin E in meat samples compared with the C group. In the experimental groups, the proportion of total polyunsaturated fatty acids, the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids, and the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids in the thigh muscles were significantly improved (p < 0.05). The tested plants exhibited a significant (p = 0.0007) hypocholesterolemic effect in the meat of the B (45.90 mg/g), T (41.60 mg/g) and S (48.80 mg/kg) experimental groups compared with the C (60.50 mg/g) group. These results support the application of the studied plants as natural sources of additives which could be effective in improving meat quality, from the human consumption perspective.

Enriching laying hens eggs by feeding diets with different fatty acid composition and antioxidants.

The current study was conducted to evaluate egg quality, egg yolk fatty acids, health-related indices and antioxidants from laying hens' eggs fed different combined vegetable by-products, rich in fatty acids and antioxidants. One hundred twenty 50 weeks-old Tetra SL laying hens were divided into three groups. They were given daily a standard diet (Control, C), a diet containing 9% rapeseed meal with 3% grapeseed meal (T1 diet), or a diet containing 9% flaxseed meal and 3% sea buckthorn meal (T2 diet). Hen production performances, egg quality, egg yolk fatty acids total polyphenols content and antioxidant capacity were determined. The T1 diet significantly reduced the egg yolk content of palmitic acid from 76.615 mg (C) to 46.843 mg (T1) and that of oleic acid from 788.13 mg (C) to 682.83 mg (T1). Feeding flaxseed and sea buckthorn meals significantly increased the egg yolk content of α-linolenic acid in T2 yolks (35.297 mg) compared with C yolks (4.752 mg) and that of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from 16.282 mg (C) to 74.918 mg (T2). The atherogenicity indices (AI) were not significantly affected, whereas the thrombogenicity indices (TI) decreased significantly (p < 0.0007) from 0.72 (C) to 0.60 (T1) and 0.66 (T2), respectively. Adding this combination of meals to the hens' diets, increased the total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity in T1 and T2 eggs compared to C eggs. The significant enrichment of eggs with n-3 fatty acids and antioxidant capacity, as well on the health-related indices especially from T2 eggs, represents a potential functional feed ingredient in poultry feeding, to obtain eggs as functional food.

Effects of Supplementing Grape Pomace to Broilers Fed Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Enriched Diets on Meat Quality.

The effects of using grape pomace as natural antioxidant in polyunsaturated fatty acids enriched broiler diets (4% flaxseed meal) on color, texture and lipid peroxidation of meat were evaluated. The 4-week feeding trial was conducted on 200, Cobb 500 broilers, assigned to 5 groups and housed in an experimental hall with floored pens. Compared to the control group, the diet for the experimental groups included 3% or 6% of two grape pomace varieties, white and red. Diet formulation enrichment with red grape pomace influenced the meat color parameters, underlining an accentuated total color difference (ΔE) for both breast and thigh as compared to the control. The dietary supplementation with grape pomace led to the increase of meat hardness regardless of the amount and variety added. The grape pomace inclusion in broiler diets positively influenced meat color and texture. Regarding the lipid oxidation parameters, there was a decrease of the value of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in thigh meat in all experimental groups. Additionally, significant differences were highlighted for breast in 3% white grape pomace and 6% red grape pomace supplemented groups when compared to the control group. In conclusion, the supplementation of broiler diets enriched in PUFA with grape pomace improved meat color and texture, which are essential parameters for consumer's choice. Also, the grape pomace supplementation indicated an improvement of thigh meat oxidative stability, especially regarding the TBARS value.