DIETARY OILS AND TOCOPHEROL SUPPLEMENTATION ON CHOLESTEROL OXIDE FORMATION IN FREEZE-DRIED CHICKEN MEAT DURING STORAGE

The influence of dietary oils fish (FO), flax (LO), palm (PO) and sunflower (SO) oil] and tocohperol supplementation on the oxidation of cholesterol and lipids of chicken meat was investigated. Lipid oxidation in chicken meat powders was determined by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and cholesterol oxidation products were estimated by capillary gas chromatography (GC) after trimethylsilylation. Peak identities from GC were confirmed by mass spectrometry. Freeze-dried chicken meat powder, stored in contact with air at room temperature for four months showed the presence of 7α- and 7β-hydroxycholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol, α and β-epoxide, and cholestane-triol. Total cholesterol oxides contents significantly (P < 0.05) increased with storage. The amount of cholesterol oxides in the meat powder was the highest in FO and SO group, and lowest in PO group. Lipid and cholesterol oxidation were accelerated by the presence of long-chain PUFA. Lipid and cholesterol stability of chicken meat were improved by the dietary supplementation of tocopherol.