title: Effect of dietary selenium and omega-3 fatty acids on muscle composition and quality in broilers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human health may be improved if dietary intakes of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids are increased. Consumption of broiler meat is increasing, and the meat content of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids are affected by the composition of broiler feed. A two-way analyses of variance was used to study the effect of feed containing omega-3 rich plant oils and selenium enriched yeast on broiler meat composition, antioxidation- and sensory parameters. Four different wheat-based dietary treatments supplemented with 5% rapeseed oil or 4% rapeseed oil plus 1% linseed oil, and either 0.50 mg selenium or 0.84 mg selenium (organic form) per kg diet was fed to newly hatched broilers for 22 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The different dietary treatments gave distinct different concentrations of selenium and fatty acids in thigh muscle; one percent linseed oil in the diet increased the concentration of the omega-3 fatty acids 18:3, 20:5 and 22:5, and 0.84 mg selenium per kg diet gave muscle selenium concentration at the same level as is in fish muscle (0.39 mg/kg muscle). The high selenium intake also resulted in increased concentration of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA (20:5), DPA (22:5) and DHA (22:6), thus it may be speculated if high dietary selenium might have a role in increasing the concentration of EPA, DPA and DHA in tissues after intake of plant oils contning omega-3 fatty acids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Moderate modifications of broiler feed may give a healthier broiler meat, having increased content of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. High intakes of selenium (organic form) may increase the concentration of very long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in muscle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Aas, Norway. anna.haug@umb.no
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haug
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eich-Greatorex
authors.forename: Aksel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernhoft
authors.forename: Jens P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wold
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hetland
authors.forename: Olav A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Christophersen
authors.forename: Trine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sogn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009812:Odorants; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013649:Taste
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D012643:Selenium