Quality of Raw, Frozen and Cooked Duck Meat as Affected by Dietary Fat and a-Tocopheryl Acetate Supplementation

Poultry meat, particularly that of duck, has relatively high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and low levels of antioxidants. Ducks consume twice as much feed as broilers during growth, therefore, duck meat is more likely to be influenced by diet than chicken meat. The effects of dietary fat differing in unsaturation level (2.5% tallow or olive, sunflower or linseed oils) together with α-tocopheryl acetate (α-TA) at either a control (20 mg α-TA/kg feed) or a supplemented level (400 mg α-TA/kg feed) on α-tocopherol content, fatty acid composition and lipid oxidation of duck muscle in 7 week old birds were investigated. Fat source influenced fatty acid composition of duck meat. Ducks fed tallow had a higher percentage saturated fats, while ducks fed olive oil had a higher percentage monounsaturated fats than other dietary groups. In the absence of supplemental α-TA, duck muscle stability to lipid oxidation was greatest for those receiving diets containing sunflower oil and lowest for those receiving tallow. α-Tocopherol content and oxidative stability of duck muscle were increased (p < 0.05) by α-TA supplementation irrespective of fat source. Interestingly oxidative changes were much more extensive in duck breast meat than corresponding thigh meat for all treatment groups. This finding is in contrast when compared with similar dietary trials for chicken and turkey. Therefore, oxidative stability of duck meat differs from that of other poultry meats.