Effect of beta-carotene and vitamin E on oxidative stability in leg meat of broilers fed different supplemental fats

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of dietary fat (6% lard and sunflower and olive oil) and supplementation of alpha-tocophe ryl acetate or beta-carotene on vitamin E content and lipid oxidation in ra w, cooked, and chilled-stored broiler leg meat. Vitamin E increased its tis sue level, reducing lipid oxidation. The oxidative stability of leg meat te nded to decrease with dietary sunflower oil. Effects of beta-carotene on vi tamin E levels and oxidation depended on dietary fat and its concentration in feed, decreasing vitamin E, mainly at 50 ppm. beta-Carotene at 15 ppm ac ted as antioxidant in fresh and cooked meat in the sunflower and olive oil diets. However, in stored meat, beta-carotene at 50 ppm increased TBARS, pr obably due to a decrease in vitamin E content and direct prooxidant effects per se. It is suggested that the antioxidant effect of beta-carotene requi res the presence of vitamin E in tissues.