Dietary Iron and Copper Removal Does Not Improve Cholesterol and Lipid Oxidative Stability of Raw and Cooked Broiler Meat

Abstract

Thigh meat (raw and cooked) was analyzed for oxysterols, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activity in order to assess oxidative stability. The results showed that no beneficial effect was obtained by the removal of iron and copper from the animal diet. On the contrary, the oxysterol production, the TBARS, and the GSHPx activity tended to indicate a higher oxidative stress in cooked meat from the chickens deprived of iron and copper. This effect could not be explained by differences in tissue α-tocopherol levels. Finally, correlation analyses showed that the 4 parameters studied (oxysterols, TBARS, GSHPx, α-tocopherol) were interrelated.