Monika Łukasiewicz1, Kamila Puppel2, Beata Kuczyńska2, Maciej Kamaszewski3, Jan Niemiec1. 1. Department of Poultry Breeding, Faculty of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland. 2. Department of Cattle Breeding, Faculty of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland. 3. Department of Ichthyobiology and Fisheries, Faculty of Animal Science, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of various doses of β-alanine administered in feed mixtures and of heat treatment on changes in the contents of dipeptides anserine and carnosine in meat of fast-growing Hubbard Flex chickens. RESULTS: The study demonstrated a significant effect of dietary administration of β-alanine on anserine content in breast muscles and on carnosine content in leg muscles of the chickens. A successive increase in dipeptide content was observed with increasing β-alanine content in the feed mixture. As a result of heat treatment, a significant (P ≤ 0.01) increase was observed in the anserine content of both breast and leg muscles: over twofold higher anserine content was detected in heat-treated muscles compared with raw muscles. The study showed that interesting effects might occur during β-alanine administration to feed mixtures for chickens, especially including increased contents of anserine and carnosine in skeletal muscles of the birds. CONCLUSION: Taking into account the well-documented health-promoting effect of histidine dipeptides and possibilities of increasing their contents in the body by supplementation with β-alanine, anserine and carnosine might be considered as potential components of functional foods.
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of various doses of β-alanine administered in feed mixtures and of heat treatment on changes in the contents of dipeptides anserine and carnosine in meat of fast-growing Hubbard Flex chickens. RESULTS: The study demonstrated a significant effect of dietary administration of β-alanine on anserine content in breast muscles and on carnosine content in leg muscles of the chickens. A successive increase in dipeptide content was observed with increasing β-alanine content in the feed mixture. As a result of heat treatment, a significant (P ≤ 0.01) increase was observed in the anserine content of both breast and leg muscles: over twofold higher anserine content was detected in heat-treated muscles compared with raw muscles. The study showed that interesting effects might occur during β-alanine administration to feed mixtures for chickens, especially including increased contents of anserine and carnosine in skeletal muscles of the birds. CONCLUSION: Taking into account the well-documented health-promoting effect of histidinedipeptides and possibilities of increasing their contents in the body by supplementation with β-alanine, anserine and carnosine might be considered as potential components of functional foods.