The effects of supplementation with a-tocopherol acetate (a-Toc), pomegranate pomace extract (PPE) and pomegranate pomace (PP) into chicken feed on antioxidant status, oxidation susceptibility and quality of the thigh meat during refrigeration were investigated. During six weeks broiler chickens were fed eight dietary treatments, which included: control diet, a-tocopherol diet (200mg/kg), PPE diets (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 g/ kg) and PP diets (1, 2 and 3 g/kg). Feed efficiency was significantly improved by supplementing chickens fed diet with 0.2 g/kg PPE. Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC PUFA) n-3 level was higher in the thigh of broilers fed with a-Toc and PPE diets (except 0.1 g/kg) than in chickens fed control and PP diets (p<.05). Total phenolic content, lipid peroxidation level and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity in the thigh meat were significantly improved when chickens were fed diets containing a-Toc and PPE (p<.05). Supplementation of different antioxidant preparations into diets had no influence on plasma superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, in contrast, serum lipid peroxidation level was reduced in chickens fed diets supplemented with PPE (except 0.1 g/kg) and a-Toc. In conclusion, the broiler thigh meat may be successfully enriched with LC PUFA n-3 and its antioxidant potential and quality characteristics may be improved by supplementing diets with 0.2 and 0.3 g/kg PPE. Moreover, the antioxidant potential of PPE supplementation was equal to that of a-tocopherol acetate in refrigerated meat.

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