Modification of quail meat fatty acid profile using hemp or camelina cakes

Abstract

Consumers prefer poultry for its high quality, nutritional value, and lower cost. With population and income growth, animal protein consumption is expected to rise. As populations age, health concerns increasingly influence purchasing decisions, and there is a growing demand for diverse protein sources and environmentally sustainable production. Quail meat is a promising alternative for this niche. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of dietary hempseed or camelina cakes on the fatty acid profiles of intramuscular fat in the muscles of quail. A total of 189 one-day-old quail were allocated to 3 dietary treatments. The diet of the Control (C) group was supplemented with 10% rapeseed cake, whereas the rapeseed in Experimental 1 (HE) and Experimental 2 (CA) groups was replaced by, respectively, hempseed cake and camelina cake in the same proportions. Dietary enrichment with camelina cake increased the ALA content in the meat of CA group 2.5 times (P < 0.01). The muscle tissues of CA contained 3.4–3 times more EPA (P < 0.01), 1.2 times more DPA (P < 0.05–P < 0.01) and 1.3 times more DHA (P < 0.01) and, thus, demonstrated the increase in total long chain (LC) n-3 PUFA (P < 0.01) and total n-3 PUFA (P < 0.01) compared with the C group. The decrease was observed in the amounts of LA, total n-6 PUFA, n-6/n-3 PUFA and LA/ALA ratios and TI index. The ALA and total n-3 PUFA content in the breast and leg meat of HE treated quail was respectively 1.3 and 1.1 times higher (P < 0.01) than in the C group, but the accumulation was lower compared to the CA group. The content of GLA was found to be 1.21–1.31 times higher in HE quails meat (P < 0.01). Supplementation of quail feed with camelina or hempseed cakes resulted in the production of healthy meat with an increased n-3 PUFA content. A wider employment of oil industry by-products in quail farming could contribute to higher production sustainability and reduce dependence on imported feed materials.