Effects of lycopene on the growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens challenged with aflatoxin B₁

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary lycopene (LYC) supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of breast muscle in aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)‐challenged broilers. A total of 192 1‐day‐old healthy Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 3 treatments, each with 8 replicates (8 broilers per replicate). The broilers of the three treatments were fed a basal diet (control), a basal diet supplemented with 100 µg/kg AFB1 (CA), and a basal diet supplemented with 100 µg/kg AFB1 and 200 mg/kg LYC (CAL). The results demonstrated that the AFB1 diet increased the feed‐to‐gain (F/G) ratio (p < 0.05), yellowness and shear force of breast muscle (p < 0.05), and protein carbonyl (PC) content (p < 0.05) while decreasing the average daily gain (ADG) (p < 0.05), redness of breast muscle (p < 0.05), glutathione peroxidase activity (p < 0.05), and ability to clear OH· from breast muscle (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control group. Dietary LYC supplementation significantly decreased the F/G ratio (p < 0.05), yellowness and shear force (p < 0.05), and the content of PC and hydrogen peroxide (p < 0.05) while significantly increasing the ADG (p < 0.05), redness of breast muscle (p < 0.05), and ability of breast muscle to clear ABTS·+ (p < 0.05) compared to the CA diet. In conclusion, LYC can alleviate the negative impacts of AFB1 on the growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of breast muscle in broilers.Practical ApplicationLYC, as a popular antioxidant, is beneficial to the growth and health of animals. The detailed application effects are still being investigated. In this study, by adding LYC to an AFB1‐contaminated diet, it was found that LYC could alleviate the adverse effects of AFB1 on the growth performance, meat quality, and muscle antioxidant capacity of broilers. These findings can provide a reference for the application of LYC and similar plant‐derived materials in animal production.

Effects of Dietary Lycopene on the Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, Meat Quality, Intestine Histomorphology, and Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens

“…Muscle color depends on myosin oxidation and light reflection from free water [46]. Ma et al [47] found that dietary lycopene supplementation decreased muscle lightness L* and shear force in broiler chickens. In this study, the breast muscle L* at 24 h after slaughter in the groups treated with 20 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg dietary lycopene was reduced, which may be because, under the action of oxygen, lycopene converted the myoglobin in muscle into oxymyoglobin and continued to be oxidized to ferrimyoglobin, which made the muscle color relatively darker [48].…”

Detoxification of Aflatoxin B1 by Phytochemicals in Agriculture and Food Science

“…Lycopene has also been shown to be antitoxic to AFB 1 in other species. Studies have demonstrated that lycopene reduced liver and intestinal damage induced by AFB 1 in broilers and improved their growth and development performance. − Sahar et al discovered that adding 100 mg/kg of lycopene to the feed for 10 days provided protective benefits to the liver and kidney of Pekin duckling exposed to AFB 1 . This protection was attributed to the elevation of antioxidant protein levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and phase II enzyme activity …”