Effect of Conjugated Linoleic Acid or Oleic Acid Addition on Fatty Acid Composition Profiles of Poultry Meat

Two different studies were conducted to reduce the overall amount of omega-6 fatty acids in broiler chickens. The first experiment was performed to determine the effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acid combination on the omega-6 fatty acid accumulation in broiler chicken breast and thigh meat. Eight broilers from each treatment were processed at 4 and 6 weeks of age, respectively. Regarding the diets containing five different fat sources, broiler chickens fed CLA and fish oil diet had a lower C20:4 (arachidonic acid, AA, n-6) deposition but showed a higher n-3/n-6 ratio in breast and thigh meat than those fed a flaxseed oil diet and CLA and flaxseed oil diet (P < 0.05). The C20:4 and n-3/n-6 ratio of breast and thigh samples from fish oil diet was similar to those of the conjugated linoleic acid and fish oil combination diet (P > 0.05). However, the addition of CLA and fish oil to the diet resulted in a increase of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentration in broiler chicken breast and thigh meat when compared to that of fish oil diet (P<0.05). The second experiment was conducted based on six different combination of n-3 and n-9 fatty acids. One bird per pen was processed, and each bird was weighed, and blood, liver, breast and thigh samples from the bird were collected. Although the generation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was not affected due to combination of n-3 and n-9 fatty acids in our diets, the deposition of n-6 fatty acids including C18:2 and C20:4 was decreased in broiler chicken breast and/or thigh muscles as n-3 fatty acids were supplied to broiler chickens for 9 weeks. Eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5, EPA, n-3) addition to poultry diet (FEO) did not reduce the deposition of C18:2 and/or C20:4 as much as C22:6 (FDO) did. When C20:5 and C22:6 were blended to poultry diet (FHO) and fed to broiler chickens for 9 weeks, synergistic effects were observed. Reduction of C20:4 was obtained when FHO diet was fed to broiler chickens, and it may be induced due to decreased expression of delta-6 desaturase mRNA.