Muscle Antioxidant Activity and Meat Quality Are Altered by Supplementation of Astaxanthin in Broilers Exposed to High Temperature.

Abdolreza Hosseindoust,Seung Min Oh,Se Min Jeon,Ji Seon Son,Han Seo Ko,Sang Hoon Ha,Aera Jang,Jin Soo Kim,Hwan Ku Kang,Gur Yoo Kim

doi:10.3390/antiox9111032

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of dietary astaxanthin (AST) on the meat quality, antioxidant status, and immune response of chickens exposed to heat stress. Four hundred and eighty male broilers were assigned to four treatments including AST0, AST20, AST40, and AST80 with 0, 20, 40, and 80 ppm astaxanthin supplementation levels, respectively. There was a linear decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) in leg muscle. Catalase and superoxide dismutase levels in the plasma were linearly increased. There was a linear increase in the level of total antioxidant capacity in the leg muscle. The 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate reducing activity of leg muscle was significantly increased in the AST80 treatment. The AST40 treatment showed an increase in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity of leg muscles. Breast meat redness and yellowness were linearly increased. The astaxanthin-supplemented treatments exhibited lower drip loss and MDA concentration of leg muscle compared with the AST0 treatment at days 3 and 9 of storage. Supplementation of 40 or 80 mg/kg astaxanthin significantly decreased heat shock protein (HSP)27, HSP70, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin-6 expression in the livers. The feather corticosterone was significantly lower in the astaxanthin-supplemented treatments than in the AST0 treatment. In conclusion, astaxanthin decreased the hyperthermic stress level and improved meat quality, and antioxidant status of chickens exposed to heat stress.

Highlights

Environmental temperatures exceeding the thermo-neutral zone cause heat stress
Several enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), are able to counteract with free radicals and affect the meat and lipid peroxidation levels [7,10]
Catalase (Linear, p < 0.01; quadratic, p < 0.05) and SOD (Linear, p < 0.05) levels in the plasma were increased by increasing astaxanthin doses in the diet, while there were no differences between treatments for the concentration of GPx, MPO, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the plasma at any dietary astaxanthin levels

Summary

Introduction

Environmental temperatures exceeding the thermo-neutral zone cause heat stress. The continuous selection of broiler chickens for fast growth has increased their vulnerability to heat stress than other farm animals. High ambient temperature in summer is a serious stressor for broiler chickens, resulting in poor health status, welfare, growth, and carcass quality [1,2,3,4,5]. In addition to decreased growth performance, exposure of broiler chicks to heat stress increases the oxidative reactions that compromise meat quality by affecting ultimate pH, water-holding capacity, meat color, and meat tenderness [4,6], resulting in lower marketability. Free radicals and reactive oxygen species damage several enzymes and macromolecules and can lead to severe oxidative injuries, with the potential of impacting the lipid oxidation and health status of animals. Several enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), are able to counteract with free radicals and affect the meat and lipid peroxidation levels [7,10]. Improving the oxidative status and oxidative stability of meat is correlative to the alleviation of heat stress detrimental influences

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