Dietary supplementation of chelated selenium and broiler chicken meat quality

The glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) is selenium-containing enzyme, which catalyses the reduction of hydrogen peroxides and lipid hydroperoxides preventing the oxidative damages in animal tissues. The selenium (Se) deficiency increases the need for vitamin E. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of chelated Se on the poultry meat quality. Fourteen Cobb chicks with 1 day of age were divided into two groups: C-Control group (without supplementation) and S-Supplemented group (with 0.03mg of chelated Se.kg(-1) of feed). Birds at 42 days of age were slaughtered and boneless skinless chicken thighs were collected and stored at -18 degrees C for 30 days. Thighs were analyzed for the cooking loss, lipid oxidation by Thiobarbituric-Acid-Reactive Substances (TBARS) and GSH-Px activity by coupled assay procedure recording the NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced) oxidation. Samples of Supplemented group presented 33.8% less water after cooking (p <= 0.05) and were 23.6% (p <= 0.10) less oxidized when compared with samples of group Control. The GSH-Px activity of thighs did not differ significantly (p> 0.05) between groups Supplemented and Control. The supplementation with 0.03mg of Se in the kg of feed improved the meat quality by reducing the lipid oxidation and cooking loss, however did not increase the GSH-Px activity.