Effects of α-tocopheryl acetate addition to the chicken feed on the sensory characteristics and α - tocopherol content in meat

Abstract

Effects of ? -tocopheryl acetate addition to the chicken feed (A-control group: common broiler feed, B and C groups: feed supplemented with a-tocopheryl acetate at 50 mg/kg and 75 mg/kg of feed, respectively) on sensory characteristics of meat of chicken breasts have been investigated as well as the content of vitamin E, expressed as a- tocopherol, in liver thigh muscle, and meat of chicken breasts. Sensory characteristics (colour, texture, tenderness and juiciness, odour and flavor) of thermally treated meat samples have been evaluated by analytical-descriptive (point) system. Regarding obtained results, it can be noticed that the color of samples scored with high grades, has been almost unvarying between samples. Tenderness as the quality of texture and juiciness has been evaluated using oral technique. Samples of groups Band C have been qualified as the most tender. Samples of group A have been slightly less tender. The juiciest samples have been of group C, followed by samples of group B and group A. Flavor of thermally treated chicken meat breast samples has been evaluated true the taste and odour characteristics (Popov-Raljic i Radovanovic, 2001) The most intensively expressed characteristic taste and odour have the samples of group A, and have been given the highest grade, while the similar grades have been given to group C samples. Also, content of vitamin E expressed as ? -tocopherol has been determined by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, with DAD detector on 295 nm. Results of chicken tissues study show that: content of (l-tocopherol in liver is always greater than in thigh muscle, greater than in meat of chicken breasts. Content of ? -tocopherol increased 4.17 times in meat of chicken breasts, 3.87 times in thigh muscle and 1.82 times in liver when the chicks were fed 42 days with feed supplemented with 50 mg (? -tocopheryl acetate/1 kg diet (B group). Further increase in tissues has been obtained by feed that contained 75 mg (? -tocopheryl acetate/1 kg diet (C group): 2.6 times has been greater content of ? -tocopherol in thigh muscle, 2.27 times in chick breast meat samples, 1.14 times in liver when comparing to group A. Finally, regarding all the results, the best final score for sensory evaluation of appearance, texture and flavour has been given to group B (28.25), and very similar scores, slightly lower, for group A (27. 50) and group C (27.80). HPLC results clearly indicate that ? -tocopherol content is elevated by dietary supplementation in all investigated chicken organs and is always greater in liver than in thigh muscle and in meat of chicken breasts, which improves its efficient absorption in investigated range.

Comparison of Antioxidant Components and Activity of Buckwheat and Wheat Flours

“…Tocopherols from the samples were extracted according to the method of Mandić et al (2003). Briefly, after alkaline hydrolysis of homogenized sample (5.00 g), free tocopherols were extracted from the reaction mixture using n-hexane.…”