Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) in Japanese quails feeding. 2. Fatty acid content and oxidative stability of breast meat

N. Genc, M. Karaalp

Abstract: In this study, the antioxidant effect of dietary supplementation with bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) leaves (LN) to a conventional diet on fatty acid content and oxidatif stability of breast meat was studied. For that purpose, a total number of 60 Japanese quails aged 56-d were fed diets supplemented with 0 (LN0), 2 (LN2) and 4 g (LN4) leaves/kg of feed, respectively. Quails were housed individually in cages during ten weeks. Fatty acid composition was determined for fresh breast meat. Malondialdehyde (MDA) values were determined in breast meat samples stored at +4oC (2, 5 and 8 d) and at -20oC (3 and 6 mo). Supplementation of LN had no effect on any fatty acid content of meat. However, addition of LN lowered (P<0.01) MDA content of the refrigerated meat samples only at 8 d. On the other hand, supplementation with LN had no significant effect on reducing the MDA values of meat samples during the other stored times. Besides, the amount of MDA increased (P<0.01) in all of the refrigerated and frozen meat samples with time. The results of this study demonstrated that supplementation of LN could reduce MDA content of refrigerated meat samples only at 8 d.

Keywords: bay leave; breast meat; fatty acid; laying quail; malondialdehyde

Date published: 2019-02-27