Dietary supplementation of Allium cepa skin alters intramuscular fat, muscle cholesterol, and fatty acids in rabbits

BACKGROUND The high polyunsaturated fatty acids content of rabbit meat predisposes it to oxidative deterioration, which often results in reduced product quality and shelf life. This fact highlights the need to improve the antioxidant status of rabbit meat. This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of Allium cepa skin (ACS) on growth, carcass, intramuscular fat, muscle fatty acids, cholesterol content, meat quality, antioxidant status, and sensory attributes of hind leg muscle of rabbits. Sixty-three, 28-day-old, male New Zealand rabbits (654 +/- 25 g) were randomly allocated into 21 pens of three rabbits. The pens were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments - ACS-0: basal diet (BD) only; ACS-25: BD + 25 g kg(-1) ACS; and ACS-50: BD + 50 g kg(-1) ACS - for 56 days and then euthanized. RESULTS Dietary ACS did not affect growth performance and retail cuts of rabbits. Muscle cholesterol was lower (P < 0.05) in ACS-supplemented rabbits than in controls. Dietary ACS lowered (P < 0.05) dissectible fat, intramuscular fat content, C14:0, C16:0, C18:0, C18:2n-6, and C20:4n-6 levels and enhanced (P < 0.05) C18:3n-3, C20:5n-3, C22:6n-3, and C22:5n-3 concentration. Dietary ACS increased muscle catalase activity in rabbits. Sensory qualities, malondialdehyde and carbonyl contents, and physicochemical attributes of hind leg muscle of rabbits after chill storage were not influenced by dietary ACS supplementation. CONCLUSION Supplementation with 50 g kg(-1) ACS reduced intramuscular fat and cholesterol content and improved muscle n-3 fatty acids without impairing the physicochemical and sensory properties of rabbit meat. (c) 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Automated summary

Dietary supplementation of Allium cepa skin (ACS) reduced muscle cholesterol and intramuscular fat content, while increasing n-3 fatty acids levels in rabbit meat without affecting its physicochemical and sensory properties.