The susceptibility to oxidation of meat from broilers receiving 200 g/kg oats in the diet was compared to the stability of meat from broilers receiving a control diet (10 mg/kg of alpha-tocopheryl acetate) and a diet enriched in alpha-tocopheryl acetate (200 mg/kg). 2. After 9 d of refrigerated storage thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) values in raw dark meat (thigh) were 0.51 and 0.19, respectively, for broilers fed on the control and the alpha-tocopheryl acetate-enriched diets. Meat from broilers fed on the diet containing oats had a lower TBARS value than the control group (P < 0.05), but higher than the group receiving the supplemented diet. The same trend was observed in white meat (breast). Similar effects were observed after the frozen storage of meats, although the antioxidant effect of oats was more evident (P < 0.05) than in the raw meat. 3. Cholesterol oxidation products (COPS) in broiler meat were also influenced by the dietary regimen. COPS concentration in white and dark meat, respectively, from broilers fed on the oat diet were 43% and 32% lower than those in the control samples. 4. Supplemental alpha-tocopheryl acetate reduced COPS concentration by approximately 60%. The availability of natural antioxidants and their possible synergistic effects suggest an interesting way of improving meat stability.
