Research

Effect of dietary selenium and omega-3 fatty acids on muscle composition and quality in broilers

Anna Haug¹ , Susanne Eich-Greatorex² , Aksel Bernhoft³ , Jens P Wold⁴ , Harald Hetland¹ , Olav A Christophersen and Trine Sogn²

¹  Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Aas, Norway

²  Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 1432 Aas, Norway

³  National Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway

⁴  MATFORSK, Norwegian Food Research Institute, 1430 Aas, Norway

author email corresponding author email

Lipids in Health and Disease 2007, 6:29doi:10.1186/1476-511X-6-29

Published:	29 October 2007

Abstract

Background

Human health may be improved if dietary intakes of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids are increased. Consumption of broiler meat is increasing, and the meat content of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids are affected by the composition of broiler feed. A two-way analyses of variance was used to study the effect of feed containing omega-3 rich plant oils and selenium enriched yeast on broiler meat composition, antioxidation- and sensory parameters. Four different wheat-based dietary treatments supplemented with 5% rapeseed oil or 4% rapeseed oil plus 1% linseed oil, and either 0.50 mg selenium or 0.84 mg selenium (organic form) per kg diet was fed to newly hatched broilers for 22 days.

Results

The different dietary treatments gave distinct different concentrations of selenium and fatty acids in thigh muscle; one percent linseed oil in the diet increased the concentration of the omega-3 fatty acids 18:3, 20:5 and 22:5, and 0.84 mg selenium per kg diet gave muscle selenium concentration at the same level as is in fish muscle (0.39 mg/kg muscle). The high selenium intake also resulted in increased concentration of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA (20:5), DPA (22:5) and DHA (22:6), thus it may be speculated if high dietary selenium might have a role in increasing the concentration of EPA, DPA and DHA in tissues after intake of plant oils contning omega-3 fatty acids.

Conclusion

Moderate modifications of broiler feed may give a healthier broiler meat, having increased content of selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. High intakes of selenium (organic form) may increase the concentration of very long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in muscle.