Abstract
Background: Genetics and rearing system are important for meat quality. However, few studies were conducted on genetics and housing system and their relationship with chemical composition and oxidation processes in Pekin duck meat. In order to investigate the effect of different strains and housing systems on chemical composition, fatty acid profile and the content of lipid and protein oxidation products in breasts and thighs of Pekin ducks, we used a total of 40 49-day-old Pekin ducks of two strains (STAR 53 medium hybrid and SM3 heavy hybrid) reared in two housing systems (intensive vs. semi-intensive). Results: Duck strain affected the contents of moisture and protein in breasts and fatty acid composition in breasts and thighs. STAR 53 ducks had a lower polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to saturated fatty acids (SFA) ratio and level of lipid peroxidation measured in frozen thighs than SM3 ducks. Chemical composition of meat was not affected by housing system. Rearing conditions influenced fatty acid composition of breasts and thighs. In intensively reared ducks, higher total n-3 PUFA content and PUFA to SFA ratio, and lower n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratio and atherogenicity index were found in thighs than in ducks that had access to land outside. Moreover, rearing conditions had significant effects on lipid peroxidation level and protein carbonyl content in meat. In intensively reared birds, fresh samples of thigh meat and frozen samples of breasts and thighs had higher level of lipid peroxidation than in semi-intensively reared ducks. Contents of protein carbonyls in fresh samples of breasts and thighs were higher in birds reared in the intensive system than in ducks reared in the semi-intensive housing system.Conclusions: These results suggest that duck strain affects fatty acid composition of meat, where SM3 ducks had more favorable fatty acid profiles than STAR 53 ducks. Moreover, housing system influenced meat quality. Intensively reared ducks had a more desirable fatty acid profile of meat, but it was more prone to lipid and protein oxidation than meat from ducks that had open access to land.
The effect of forage-types on the fatty acid profile, lipid and protein oxidation, and retail colour stability of muscles from White Dorper lambs
