Abstract
The aim of our study was to determine the effects of selenium supplementation to broiler feed on the content of selenium, total fatty acids in lipids and on the oxidative stability of broiler thigh muscle tissue. The experiment involved 40 broilers fattened for 42 days. During the first three weeks, all broilers consumed starter diet containing 22% crude protein. After three weeks, broilers were divided into two groups and fed finisher diets containing 18% crude protein and supplemented with 3% sunflower oil and 3% linseed oil. Group 1 was not administered artificial selenium; Group 2 was supplemented with organic selenium at the amount of 0.5 mg Se/kg of feed. Significantly higher (P < 0.05) content of selenium was observed in the thigh muscle tissue of Group 2 compared to Group 1 (1.071 and 0.511 mg/kg of dry matter, respectively). The increase of selenium content in feed to 0.5 mg/kg resulted in an increase of total n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (from 5.27% to 6.25%), and in reduction of total monounsaturated fatty acids (from 39.60% to 36.74%) in the lipids of thigh muscle tissue. The increase in total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids induced significant (P < 0.05) lowering of the n6/n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio (4.62 and 5.01 for the first and second group, respectively). The increase of selenium content in broiler feed led to a decrease of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (P > 0.05) and increase of linolenic acid and total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.05) in thigh muscle tissue of broilers. Since selenium and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are nutricines, our results show that the produced broiler meat may be considered as functional food.
Highlights
In most European countries, the trend is to increase consumption of poultry meat, which can be explained with the fact that broiler meat is of satisfactory nutritive quality and acceptable to consumers with respect to price and organoleptic traits
Since selenium and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are nutricines, our results show that the produced broiler meat may be considered as functional food
Ševčíková et al (2006) stated that increased content of selenium in broiler diets significantly increased its content in thigh muscle tissue, which is in accordance with our results
Summary
In most European countries, the trend is to increase consumption of poultry meat, which can be explained with the fact that broiler meat is of satisfactory nutritive quality and acceptable to consumers with respect to price and organoleptic traits. Broiler meat shall be enriched with certain functional ingredients, such as selenium, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), etc. Some authors stated that composition of diets for poultry and supplementation of plant oil (López-Ferrer et al 1999) or fish oil (López-Ferrer et al 2001) could affect composition of fatty acids in muscle tissue. The aim of our study was to determine the effects of selenium supplementation to broiler feed on the content of selenium, portions of total fatty acids in lipids and on the oxidative stability of broiler thigh muscle tissue
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
