The effect of lycopene supplementation on lipid profile and meat quality of broiler chickens

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of lycopene on lipid profile and quality of meat of broiler chickens Ross 308 at a different form of selenium. 540 broiler cockerels were randomly divided into 6 groups: without lycopene supplement (groups C and E3), supplemented with 50 mg/kg lycopene (groups E1 and E4), supplemented with 100 mg/kg lycopene (groups E2 and E5) while the source of selenium was sodium selenite (groups C, E1, E2) and Se-enriched yeast (groups E3, E4, E5). The experimental period was from 14 to 35 days of broiler age and was terminated by slaughter. The organic form of dietary selenium increased (P ≤ 0.05) its content in breast meat (E3 – 174.2 μg/kg, E4 – 186.4 μg/kg, E5 – 191.9 μg/kg) compared to selenite (C – 125.4 μg/kg, E1 – 123.3 μg/kg, E2 – 128.5 μg/kg). The shear force of meat was higher (P ≤ 0.05) in groups receiving the organic form of Se (E3 – 0.026 kN, E4 – 0.025 kN, E5 – 0.024 kN) in comparison with group C (0.017 kN), E1 (0.016 kN) and E2 (0.014 kN). Se in Se-enriched yeast reduced (P ≤ 0.05) the concentration of malondialdehyde in breast meat after 5 days of storage. There were no significant differences in concentrations of cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and lipase in plasma. The higher content of HDL cholesterol in plasma was recorded in groups supplemented with 50 mg of lycopene, followed by groups with 100 mg of lycopene and the lowest values were measured in groups without lycopene supplementation when the difference between group E1 (1.64 mmol/l) and E3 (1.51 mmol/l) was significant (P ≤ 0.05). Concentrations of LDL cholesterol showed an opposite trend. The lycopene supplement had a positive effect on the lipid profile of blood plasma of broiler chickens.