Effects of vitamin E and fish oil inclusion in broiler diets on meat fatty acid composition and on the flavour of a composite sample of breast meat.
BACKGROUND
Enriching poultry meat with long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) can increase low population intakes of LC n-3 PUFA, but fishy taints can spoil reheated meat. This experiment determined the effect of different amounts of LC n-3 PUFA and vitamin E in the broiler diet on the fatty acid composition and sensory characteristics of the breast meat. Ross 308 broilers (120) were randomly allocated to one of five treatments from 21 to 42 days of age. Diets contained (g kg(-1)) 0, 9 or 18 LC n-3 PUFA (0LC, 9LC, 18LC), and 100, 150 or 200 mg LD-alpha-tocopherol acetate kg(-1) (E). The five diets were 0LC100E, 9LC100E, 18LC100E, 18LC150E, 18LC200E, with four pens per diet, except 18LC100E (eight pens). Breast meat was analysed for fatty acids (uncooked) and sensory analysis by R-index (reheated).


RESULTS
LC n-3 PUFA content (mg kg(-1) meat) was 514 (0LC100E) and 2236 (9LC and 18LC). Compared with 0LC100E, meat from 18LC100E and 18LC150E tasted significantly different, while 23% of panellists detected fishy taints in 9LC100E and 18LC200E.


CONCLUSIONS
Chicken meat can be enriched with nutritionally meaningful amounts of LC n-3 PUFA, but > 100 mg dl-alpha-tocopherol acetate kg(-1) broiler diet is needed to protect reheated meat from oxidative deterioration.
Rymer
Caroline
C
Nutritional Sciences Research Unit, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK. c.rymer@reading.ac.uk
Givens
D Ian
DI
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001940:Breast; D002645:Chickens; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005524:Food Technology / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D011897:Random Allocation; D013649:Taste; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005395:Fish Oils; D014810:Vitamin E