Poultry meat quality : the role of dietary fats

Abstract

Poultry meat consumption is increasing at the expense of other meat sources. Such an increase is based on the lower lipid content of poultry meat. Chickens however have been becoming fatter over the last years. The aim of this review is to analyze the dietary factors which are responsible of fat deposition in poultry.

The increase of the dietary energy level and particularly of the calorie to protein ratio has more effect on fat deposition than the actual lipid intake level. Conversely, the origin and the composition of dietary lipids may modify the fatty acid profiles of the adipose tissues and thus change the organoleptic characteristics and the resultant nutritional value of the poultry meat.