PUFA loses after cookingg of chicken meat

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to assess the effect ofsupplying with fish or linseed oils on the performance, quality parameters and fatty acid (FA) composition of the meat of broiler chickens. Besides, it aimed to test the relative stability of the FA composition after cooking of the chicken meat. A diet with 4% of tallow plus 4% linseed oil (Tl ) or 4% fish oil (T2) was fed to the birds throughout the 5 wk growth period. After slaughtering of the animals, the FA profile of the raw samples was determined by means of gas chromatography, and also alter cooking in a convector oven (180"C, 35 min). Carcass yield, percentage of valuable parts, texture, juiciness and grill losses of meat were determined as objective quality parameters. Performance parameters were not significantly different among treatments, though a tendency towards a better transformation index was found in Tl fed animals (p<().09). Objective quality meat parameters were not different when compared by treatments. As expected, differences in the FA profile of the samples were found among treatments, being the Tl samples the ones which scored with higher n-3 FA levels, because of its linolenic acid content, while T2 samples showed a higher proportion in n-3 long-chain (LC) polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) in form ofeicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. Processing of the samples had an important influence on the FA profile of the meat. PUFA content was significantly lower in cooked samples (p<0.()l), thus affecting the relative percentage of saturated FA, which rose to the highest values after cooking. Changes in monounsaturated FA were unnoticeable. Losses in n-6 FA were mainly due to the fall of linoleic acid while almost all n-3 LCPUFA experienced significant losses after cooking of the meat.