A Comparison of Natural (D-α-tocopherol) and Synthetic (DL-α-tocopherol Acetate) Vitamin E Supplementation on the Growth Performance, Meat Quality and Oxidative Status of Broilers.

K Cheng,T Wang,X X Huang,Y Niu,H Zhang,L L Zhang,Y P Chen,M Zhang,Y M Zhou,X C Zheng

doi:10.5713/ajas.15.0819

K Cheng, T Wang + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.15.0819

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Abstract

The present study was conducted to compare the supplementation of natural (D-α-tocopherol) and synthetic (DL-α-tocopherol acetate) vitamin E on the growth performance, meat quality, muscular antioxidant capacity and genes expression related to oxidative status of broilers. A total of 144 1 day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly allocated into 3 groups with 6 replicates of 8 birds each. Birds were given a basal diet (control group), and basal diet supplemented with either 20 IU D-α-tocopherol or DL-α-tocopherol acetate for 42 days, respectively. The results indicated that treatments did not alter growth performance of broilers (p>0.05). Compared with the control group, concentration of α-tocopherol in the breast muscle was increased by the supplementation of vitamin E (p<0.05). In the thigh, α-tocopherol content was also enhanced by vitamin E inclusion, and this effect was more pronounced in the natural vitamin E group (p<0.05). Vitamin E supplementation increased the redness of breast (p<0.05). In the contrast, the inclusion of synthetic vitamin E decreased lightness of thigh (p<0.05). Dietary vitamin E inclusion reduced drip loss at 24 h of thigh muscle (p<0.05), and this effect was maintained for drip loss at 48 h in the natural vitamin E group (p<0.05). Broilers given diet supplemented with vitamin E showed decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the breast (p<0.05). Additionally, natural rather than synthetic vitamin E reduced MDA accumulation in the thigh (p<0.05). Neither natural nor synthetic vitamin E supplementation altered muscular mRNA abundance of genes related to oxidative stress (p>0.05). It was concluded that vitamin E supplementation, especially the natural vitamin E, can enhance the retention of muscular α-tocopherol, improve meat quality and muscular antioxidant capacity of broilers.

Highlights

Lipid oxidation is one of the major causes of quality deterioration in meat and meat products
In broilers, limit was known about the use of D-α-tocopherol as an alternative for the synthetic vitamin E on the muscular oxidative status, and especially meat quality and muscular mRNA abundance of genes involved in antioxidant system
The present study was conducted to compare the supplementation of D-α-tocopherol and DL-α-tocopherol acetate on the growth performance, meat quality, muscular antioxidant capacity and genes expression related to oxidative status of broilers

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Lipid oxidation is one of the major causes of quality deterioration in meat and meat products. Eight naturally occurring substances have been found to have vitamin E activity: α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherols and α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocotrienols (Voljč et al, 2011) Of these the αtocopherol is the most biologically active and most widely distributed form (Halliwell and Gutteridge, 2000). In broilers, limit was known about the use of D-α-tocopherol as an alternative for the synthetic vitamin E on the muscular oxidative status, and especially meat quality and muscular mRNA abundance of genes involved in antioxidant system. The present study was conducted to compare the supplementation of D-α-tocopherol and DL-α-tocopherol acetate on the growth performance, meat quality, muscular antioxidant capacity and genes expression related to oxidative status of broilers. Corn gluten meal Soybean oil Limestone Dicalcium phosphate L-Lysine DL-Methionine Sodium chloride Premix Calculated nutrient levels Apparent metabolizable energy (MJ/kg) Crude protein

MATERIAL AND METHODS

RESULTS