Oregano and sage essential oils improve antioxidant status of raw and cooked breast and thigh chicken meat In vivo investigation of antioxidant constituents of oregano and sage on chicken breast and thigh meat

摘要

In this study, the essential oil of oregano and salvia were used as a source of functional ingredients with antioxidant properties in chicken diet for 6 weeks; birds were fed a basal diet, or a basal diet supplemented with 500 or 1000 ppm extract that contained 5% oregano essential oil and 0,5% sage oil, respectively. Feed and water were offered to birds ad libitum. At the end of the trial, breast and thigh samples were taken for further analysis. Breast and thigh meat revealed no differences on moisture, fat and protein content among the three experimental groups. Results on oxidation showed that dietary oregano and sage oil at both supplementation levels improved antioxidant status compared to control diet, the effect being dose dependent. In conclusion, a combination of dietary oregano and sage exerted an antioxidant protective activity in both raw and cooked chicken breast and thigh meat.