Dietary vitamin E supplementation on cholesterol, vitamin E content, and fatty acid profile in chicken muscles

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of dietary vitamin E level on cholesterol and vitamin E content and fatty acid profile in broiler chicken breast and leg muscles. Chickens (420 cocks) were randomly divided into two feeding groups (210 birds each). The control group was fed with standard diet containing 44 mg kg−1 of vitamin E, whereas the experimental group was supplemented with extra 200 mg kg−1 of vitamin E. The dietary addition of vitamin E caused a significant increase in its content in the muscles, with a higher value noted in the leg muscles. Meat of chickens fed with the higher dose of vitamin E was also characterized by a lower cholesterol level. The addition of vitamin E as well as type of the muscles had a significant effect on the fatty acid profile and values of atherogenicity (AI) and thrombogenicity (TI) indices. The recorded increase in the content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and a decrease in the n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio indicate a positive effect of vitamin E on the fatty acid profile. In turn, lower values of AI and TI in leg muscles of chickens with a high intake of vitamin E prove the beneficial fatty acid profile in these muscles upon such supplementation.