Dietary β-Sitosterol Improves Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Antioxidant Status, and Mitochondrial Biogenesis of Breast Muscle in Broilers

The present study evaluated effects of beta-sitosterol on growth performance, meat quality, oxidative status, and mitochondrial biogenesis of breast muscle in broilers. One-day-old chicks were allocated to five treatments of six replicates. Broilers were fed a basal diet supplemented either with 0 (control), 40, 60, 80, or 100 mg/kg beta-sitosterol for 42 days. beta-sitosterol linearly and quadratically reduced feed/gain ratio, lightness(24h) and cooking loss(24h) in breast muscle, whereas 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity of breast muscle followed an opposite trend. beta-sitosterol linearly decreased drip loss(24h) and malondialdehyde content, whereas linearly increased pH(24h), superoxide dismutase activity, and mRNA abundances of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PCG-1 alpha) and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) in breast muscle. Compared with control, levels of beta-sitosterol higher than 40 mg/kg reduced feed/gain ratio, muscular lightness(24h), cooking loss(24h), and malondialdehyde level, whereas increased muscular 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity, and mRNA abundances (except 60 mg/kg) of PCG-1 alpha and TFAM. Eighty milligram/kilogram beta-sitosterol increased muscular pH(24h) and superoxide dismutase activity, but decreased its drip loss(24h). Therefore, beta-sitosterol could improve growth performance and meat quality, oxidative status, and mitochondrial biogenesis of breast muscle in broilers. Furthermore, supplementation level of 80 mg/kg beta-sitosterol is recommended for broiler diets.