Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Treatment of live animal
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-14
2004-04-06
Sayala, Chhaya (Department: 3643)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Treatment of live animal
C426S053000, C426S601000, C426S807000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06716460
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of domestic bird production, and in particular, methods for feeding domestic birds to improve nutritional value, flavor, tenderness and/or consumer acceptability.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There have been numerous studies on feeding long chain omega-3 fatty acids to broiler chickens. The purpose of these studies was primarily to enrich the meat with omega-3 fatty acids in order to provide consumers with a non-fish based source of these fatty acids in their diets. In general, large quantities (≧approximately 6 g) of long chain omega-3 fatty acids were fed to the birds during the production period. As used herein, the terms production period and production cycle referred to the life cycle of the bird until slaughter. The researchers reported increased levels of long chain omega-3 fatty acids in the meat and flavor scores the same as or worse than control (non-enriched) broiler meat. The inventors are unaware of any studies reporting improved tenderness, taste or consumer acceptability of broiler meat when poultry are fed long chain omega-3 and/or omega-6 fatty acids.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a feeding method is provided for improving at least one of flavor, tenderness or overall consumer acceptability of fowl meat. As used herein, the term fowl meat means the meat of a bird, and in particular a domesticated bird that is fed a controlled diet. The method of the present invention includes the steps of providing a concentrated source of at least one of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) or omega-6 HUFA, and feeding the concentrated source of at least one of omega-3 HUFA or omega-6 HUFA to fowl in low concentrations resulting in improvements in at least one of flavor, tenderness or overall consumer acceptability of the meat of the fowl. An additional advantage of the present invention is that the nutritional value of the fowl meat can also be improved, for example, by increasing the level of omega-3 HUFA and/or omega-6 HUFA in the meat.
As used herein, the terms highly unsaturated fatty acid or HUFA mean a fatty acid with four or more unsaturated bonds. Examples of HUFAs include arachidonic acid (ARA(n-3), C20:4n-3 or ARA(n-6), C20:4n-6); stearidonic acid (SDA, C18:4n-3); eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3); docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA(n-3), C22:5n-3 or DPA(n-6), C22:5n-6).
Preferably, a concentrated source of both omega-3 HUFA and omega-6 HUFA is provided and is fed to the fowl. Preferably, the ratio of omega-3 HUFA to omega-6 HUFA is in the range from about 2:1 to about 4:1. Preferably, the omega-3 HUFA is selected from the group consisting of DHA, EPA, DPA(n-3), ARA(n-3), SDA and mixtures thereof. Preferably the omega-6 HUFA is selected from the group consisting of ARA(n-6), DPA(n-6) and mixtures thereof. More preferably, DHA and DPA(n-6) are provided and are fed to the fowl. More preferably, DPA(n-3) and DPA(n-6) are provided and are fed to the fowl.
Preferably, the concentrated source of at least one of omega-3 HUFA or omega-6 HUFA is provided and fed to said fowl predominantly in the final 50 percent of the fowl production (life) cycle and more preferably, the concentrated source of at least one of omega-3 HUFA or omega-6 HUFA is provided and fed to said fowl predominantly in the final 25 percent of the fowl production (life) cycle. As used herein, the term predominantly means at least 50 percent, more preferably at least 66 percent and more preferably at least 75 percent. A feeding protocol is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,147 entitled “A Method For Increasing The Incorporation Efficiency Of Omega-3 Highly Unsaturated Fatty Acid In Poultry Meat”, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
Preferably, the concentrated source of at least one of omega-3 HUFA or omega-6 HUFA is provided and fed to the fowl during its production cycle in an amount comprising from about 0.2 to about 2.4 grams of HUFA per kg of the final body weight of the fowl, more preferably in an amount comprising from about 0.4 to about 1.75 grams of HUFA per kg of the final body weight of the fowl, more preferably in an amount comprising from about 0.6 to about 1.25 grams of HUFA per kg of the final body weight of the fowl, and more preferably in an amount comprising from about 0.7 to about 1 grams of HUFA per kg of the final body weight of the fowl.
Preferably, at least 25 percent of the total fatty acids in the HUFA source added to the fowl ration and consumed by the fowl are omega-3 HUFA, omega-6 HUFA or mixtures thereof, more preferably at least 30 percent of the total fatty acids in the HUFA source added to the fowl ration and consumed by the fowl are omega-3 HUFA, omega-6 HUFA or mixtures thereof, more preferably at least 40 percent of the total fatty acids in the HUFA source added to the fowl ration and consumed by the fowl are omega-3 HUFA, omega-6 HUFA or mixtures thereof, and more preferably at least 50 percent of the total fatty acids in the HUFA source added to the fowl ration and consumed by the fowl are omega-3 HUFA, omega-6 HUFA or mixtures thereof.
Preferably, the domesticated bird or fowl is selected from the group consisting of broiler chickens, roaster chickens, turkeys, guinea hens, quail, ducks and geese, more preferably the domesticated bird or fowl is selected from the group consisting of broiler chickens, roaster chickens and turkeys.
Preferably, the omega-3 or omega-6 HUFA are provided in the fowl feed in the form of triglycerides, phospholipids, ethyl esters of the fatty acids or mixtures thereof.
Preferably, the omega-3 or omega-6 HUFA is from a microbial source, animal source (including fish oil or meal) or a genetically engineered plant source, and more preferably the omega-3 or omega-6 HUFA is from Schizochytrium sp or Crypthecodinium sp.
Preferably, the method of the present invention results in the enrichment of the meat in at least one HUFA, more preferably in the enrichment of the meat in at least one of DHA, SDA, EPA, DPA(n-3), DPA(n-6), ARA(n-3) or ARA(n-6), more preferably in the enrichment of the meat in at least one omega-3 fatty acid and more preferably in the enrichment of the meat in DHA.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
While conducting tests on enriching poultry meat with omega-3 fatty acids, the option of feeding much lower omega-3 and omega-6 long chain HUFA contents in their rations than had previously been tested was investigated. When a test panel evaluated cooked meat samples, it was unexpectedly found that the enriched meat had higher taste, tenderness, and overall acceptability scores than the control meat. Thus it was found that the meat could be significantly enriched with omega-3 fatty acids (with about 2 to 6 times the amount of long chain omega-3 fatty acids found in regular meat) by providing nutritionally significant levels of long chain omega-3 fatty acids. This is an additional benefit to consumers because of the well-known health benefits of long chain omega-3 fatty acids. At the same time however, the overall consumer acceptability of the meat as compared to regular meat could also be improved. Another benefit is that the overall polyunsaturated fat content of the meat is increased also improving the nutritional quality of the meat for consumers.
While not wishing to be bound by any theory, the benefit of low levels of long chain omega-3 and omega-6 HUFAs in poultry rations is most likely due to DHA and in this case DPA(n-6) substituting for shorter chain and less unsaturated fatty acids in the phospholipids of the meat. This substitution could improve the fluidity of the phospholipids membranes and directly impact the other functional properties of the meat. This effect of low levels of enrichment has not been observed previously possibly because of the emphasis on high levels of enrichment, higher levels of incorporation may lead to too much fluidity in the membranes adversely affecting functionality and/or cause enrichment of significant amounts of triglyceri
Martek Biosciences Corporation
Sayala Chhaya
Sheridan & Ross P.C.
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