Inclusion of Flaxseed, Broken Rice, and Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) in Broiler Chicken Ration Alters the Fatty Acid Profile, Oxidative Stability, and Other Functional Properties of Meat
Authors: Mir Nasir Akbar , Tyagi Praveen K. , Biswas Ashim K. , Tyagi Pramod K. , Mandal A. B. , Kumar Faneshwar , Sharma Divya , Biswas Avishek , Verma Arun K. 
Published: March 2018

The objective of the study is to evaluate the fatty acid profile, oxidative stability, and other associated quality attributes of broiler chicken meat as affected by feeding ration containing flaxseed, broken rice, and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Six dietary treatments are formulated with no flaxseed in the first one and 10% in the other five; and 20% broken rice, 40% broken rice, 5% DDGS, and 10% DDGS in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth treatments, respectively. No dietary effects are observed on body weight gain, but 10% flaxseed along with either broken rice or DDGS increases feed intake of birds. The flaxseed significantly reduces feed efficiency of birds which is further reduces by 10% DDGS. The flaxseed significantly increases the ω‐3 PUFA, ω‐3:ω‐6, PUFA:SFA, MUFA:SFA, UFA:SFA ratios with consequent decrease in percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFA), atherogenic index, and thrombogenic index of broiler chicken meat, which is furthered by DDGS inclusion. Flaxseed inclusion significantly reduces cholesterol, fat, water holding capacity (WHC), and antioxidant capacity, whereas, it increases the pH (fresh meat), drip loss, and lipid peroxidation of broiler chicken meat. Inclusion of DDGS levels further increases drip loss, and lipid peroxidation, whereas, it further reduces WHC, extract release volume (ERV), and antioxidant capacity of broiler chicken meat. The study indicates that inclusion of 10% flaxseed along with 5% or 10% DDGS improves chicken meat fatty acid profiles, health related indices, and reduces the cholesterol and fat content, but compromises the feed efficiency of birds and the oxidative stability of meat.

Practical Application: The inclusion of 10% flaxseed along with 5% or 10% DDGS increases PUFA content, ω‐3/ω‐6 ratio, and decreases the saturated fatty acid content of broiler chicken meat. The 10% flaxseed also reduces the cholesterol and fat content of meat. This designed meat can help reduce the incidences of cardiovascular diseases. The flaxseed and DDGS inclusion reduces WHC and increases drip loss which may have detrimental effects on further processing of meat. However, both flaxseed and DDGS inclusion compromises the oxidative stability of meat and feed efficiency of birds which reflects badly on shelf life of meat and profitability of broiler production. Thus, it needs to be addressed by adding suitable antioxidant in the broiler ration.

As a result of changing food habits among people cardiovascular diseases are on the rise, the treatment costs of which are economically highly regressive. Here comes into play, the famous quote of Hippocrates “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Designing the food we eat will help prevent these cardiovascular diseases. In this regard flaxseed and DDGS inclusion in broiler chicken ration results in ω‐3 fatty acid enriched meat with health promoting effects.