Effects of dietary oregano essential oil, laurel essential oil and attapulgite on chemical composition, oxidative stability, fatty acid profile and mineral content of chicken breast and thigh meat

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of supplementing diets with essential oils of oregano, laurel and attapulgite on the performance of broilers. In total, 192 one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly allocated into three groups and reared for 42 days. The Control group was fed commercial diets based on maize and soyabean meal. The second group received the same diets further supplemented with a product containing 5% oregano essential oil at 300 g/ton and a product with attapulgite (80%) at 3 kg/ton. The third group received the control diets further supplemented with another product at 500 g/ton, containing 5% oregano and 0.5% laurel essential oils. No significant differences were found in breast and thigh meat chemical composition, trace elements levels and fatty acid profile. Total phenolic content of breast and thigh meat was higher in the experimental groups. However, malondialdehyde level in the meat during refrigerated storage was not affected by the treatments. Further studies could elucidate the potential effects of the examined substances and the underlying synergistic or antagonistic mechanisms.