Augmentation of water-holding and textural properties of breast meat from oxidatively stressed broilers by dietary antioxidant regimens

1. The impact of dietary antioxidants and degree of oil oxidation on textural attributes of chicken broiler breast meat stored in oxygen-enriched, air-permeable polyvinylchloride and skin packaging systems during retail display at 2–4°C for up to 21 d was assessed.

2. Broilers were fed on diets either with a low-oxidised oil (peroxide 23 mEq O₂/kg) or with a high-oxidised oil (peroxide 121 mEq O₂/kg), with or without an algae-based antioxidant and organic mineral antioxidant supplement for 42 d.

3. Fatty acids and radical scavenging activities of the diets were estimated. Meat colour, pH, myofibrillar protein profile and textural traits were measured.

4. Diets with high-oxidised oil reduced stearic, linoleic and linolenic acid content compared to low-oxidised oil samples, regardless of antioxidant supplementation. Meat colour and pH varied among dietary treatments throughout storage. Meat samples from the antioxidant dietary group, irrespective of oil oxidation level, had lower amounts of purge and cooking losses compared to the unsupplemented diets. For all packaging systems, meat shear force was significantly higher for broilers fed on high-oxidised diets.

5. The results demonstrate that dietary antioxidant supplementation can minimise the negative impact of oxidised oil on the quality of broiler meat packaged in different atmospheric environments.