Research at UAF - Selective deposition of bio-antioxidant in skeletal muscles of meat animals by dietary supplementation in feed to enhance the quality and shelf life of meat products
Name of Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Faqir Muhammad Anjum
dgnifsat@ymail.com
Tel: +92-41-9201105, Fax: +92-41-9201439
Name of Co-Principal Investigator: Dr. Muhammad Issa Khan
Assistant Professor
drkhan@uaf.edu.pk
Tel: +92-333-662748, Fax: +92-41-9201439
Duration of the Project 2.5Years
Cost of the Project 4.137
Funding Agency HEC

Progress Reports

Abstract
Lipid peroxidation is one of the primary mechanisms of meat quality deterioration. It can be limited by using natural antioxidants. In this present study broiler fed on supplemented feed with of α-lipoic acid (ALA) at different levels (25, 75, 150 mg/kg feed) with α-tocopherol acetate (AT) 200 mg/kg feed, significantly reduced the fat deposition and increased water content in thigh and breast meat. The progressive increase in oxidative stability was observed as dietary ALA level increased in the boiler feed. There was no momentous change in the protein content with respect to ALA and AT. TPC and DPPH activity increased in meat cuts as the concentration of ALA supplementation increased with constant level of AT in feed. Concluding from results that ALA and AT in feed enhanced the antioxidant status in meat tissues
Problem statement
The lipid oxidation of meat muscles result in low shelf stability of the meat and meat product. To overcome the problem of lipid oxidation current investigation on supplementation of α-lipoic acid and α-tocopherol was under taken.
Objectives

  1. To study effect of α-lipoic acid on growth rate of animal
  2.  To examine deposition of α-lipoic acid in sub-cellular membrane of mitochondria
  3. To examine its effect on diminishing free radical formation

Methodology
This project was carried out at National Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFSAT) with collaboration of the Poultry Research Center, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of α-lipoic  acid and α-tocopherol on meat tissue, their deposition, quantification and antioxidant potential of red and white meat after supplementation of biological antioxidants in feed of broilers. The broilers were fed different level of α-lipoic acid (25, 75 and 150mg/kg of feed) with constant level of α-tocopherol (200mg/kg of the feed). The bird growth rate and deposition of α-lipoic acid and α-tocopherol was assessed in the meat tissues
Significant Findings
The growth study of poultry birds indicated that the feeding of α-lipoic acid and α-tocopherol in the feed significantly increase the feed consumption and growth rate of the poultry birds. The lipid oxidation stability of whole homogenate microsomal and mitochondrial increased significantly with increase in level of α-lipoic acid in the poultry feed. The deposition of these natural anti-oxidants α-lipoic acid and α-tocopherol in the homogenate microsomal and mitochondrial fractions also increased with increased in with increase in α-lipoic acid supplementation in the poultry feed. This indicate that supplementation of α-lipoic acid and α-tocopherol significantly increased the oxidation stability of poultry meat due to deposition of α-lipoic acid and α-tocopherol in the poultry meat.
Conclusion
It can be concluded from the first year study that α-lipoic acid and α-tocopherol supplementation significantly affect the growth rate of poultry bird and enhance the antioxidant status of the broiler meat by the deposition of dietary α-lipoic acid and α-tocopherol.
Recommendation
The poultry feed should be supplemented α-lipoic acid and α-tocopherol in order to increase the antioxidant capacity of the broiler meat to overcome the problem of lipid per-oxidation.