Chemical composition, cholesterol content, and fatty acid profile of pigeon meat as influenced by meat-type breeds

Abstract

Two muscles, breast and thigh, were excised from 3 pigeon meat-type breeds (Europigeon, Wrocławski, King) and were analyzed for proximate analysis, cholesterol content, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Among the breeds considered, the lowest protein content of breast muscle was found in Kings (21.73%), whereas the highest fat (7.07%) and ash (1.11%) content of breast muscle (P <or= 0.01) was located in Wrocławski pigeons. The cholesterol content of both muscles was lowest in Europigeon (23.6 to 25.2 mg/100 g of tissue) as compared with the King and Wrocławski pigeons (30.2 to 44.4 mg/100 g of tissue). The total content of polyunsaturated FA was lower in thigh than in breast muscles (by 4.5 to 12%, depending on the breed). As far as FA composition is concerned, pigeon meat resembles meat types of poultry species. However, due to low cholesterol and a fairly high protein content, pigeon meat can be used as a valuable inclusive component of the human diet.

Full text

Research Note
2009 Poultry Science 88 :1306–1309
doi: 10.3382/ps.2008-00217
Key words: cholesterol , fatty acid , pigeon , meat
ABSTRACT Two muscles, breast and thigh, were ex-
cised from 3 pigeon meat-type breeds (Europigeon,
Wrocławski, King) and were analyzed for proximate
analysis, cholesterol content, and fatty acid (FA) pro-
file. Among the breeds considered, the lowest protein
content of breast muscle was found in Kings (21.73%),
whereas the highest fat (7.07%) and ash (1.11%) content
of breast muscle (P ≤ 0.01) was located in Wrocławski
pigeons. The cholesterol content of both muscles was
lowest in Europigeon (23.6 to 25.2 mg/100 g of tissue)
as compared with the King and Wrocławski pigeons
(30.2 to 44.4 mg/100 g of tissue). The total content of
polyunsaturated FA was lower in thigh than in breast
muscles (by 4.5 to 12%, depending on the breed). As far
as FA composition is concerned, pigeon meat resembles
meat types of poultry species. However, due to low cho-
lesterol and a fairly high protein content, pigeon meat
can be used as a valuable inclusive component of the
human diet.
Chemical composition, cholesterol content, and fatty acid profile of pigeon
meat as influenced by meat-type breeds
J. F. Pomianowski ,*1 D. Mikulski ,† K. Pudyszak ,† R. G. Cooper ,‡ M. Angowski ,*
A. Jóźwik ,§ and J. O. Horbańczuk §
* Department of Commodity Science and Food Research, Faculty of Food Sciences, University of Warmia
and Mazury, Plac Cieszynski 1, 10-957 Olsztyn, Poland; † Department of Poultry Science,
University of Warmia and Mazury, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-718 Olsztyn, Poland; ‡ Division of Physiology,
Birmingham City University, 704 Baker Building, Perry Barr, Birmingham, B42 2SU, United Kingdom;
and § Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Polish Academy of Sciences,
Jastrzębiec, 05-552 Wólka Kosowska, Poland
INTRODUCTION
There has been a growing interest in meat from al-
ternative animal species like deer (Volpelli et al., 2003),
ostriches (Cooper, 1999; Horbanczuk, 2002), and pi-
geons (Zieleziński and Pawlina, 2005). Pigeon meat is
considered a delicacy and is gaining popularity among
consumers in Europe mainly in Great Britain, France,
and Italy as well as in the United States and China
(Zieleziński and Pawlina, 2005). However, knowledge
concerning the chemical composition and nutritive val-
ue of this meat is very limited. Consumers often de-
mand information regarding the nutrient composition
of food and the quality of products consumed (Cooper
and Horbanczuk, 2002; Horbanczuk, 2002). Therefore,
the aim of this study was to obtain proximate analysis
and cholesterol and fatty acid (FA ) content of meat
from pigeons of different breeds.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Breast and thigh muscles were excised from 3 pigeon
meat-type breeds [9 birds of each breed; i.e., similar
weight Europigeon (638 ± 0.49 g), Wrocławski (659 ±
0.39 g), and King (667 ± 0.31 g)]. The birds were ob-
tained from a feeding trial (mixture containing 14.0%
protein and 13.0 MJ of ME/kg) that was uniform for
all 3 breeds conducted by the Department of Poultry
Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn,
Poland. Young growing pigeons aged 28 d were slaugh-
tered by decapitation according to standard procedures
approved by the Ethical Commission of the University
of Warmia and Mazury.
Carcasses were allowed to chill overnight at a tem-
perature of 4°C. Breast and thigh muscles were separat-
ed from each carcass and packaged in polyethylene bags
and transported at 2°C to the Department of Com-
modity Science and Food Research at the University
of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn. Then, each sample
of pigeon meat, both breast and thigh, was minced by
grinding through a plate perforated with holes 3 mm in
diameter and was vacuum-packed in plastic bags and
stored at +2°C for 1 wk until analyzed.
Received May 29, 2008.
Accepted January 21, 2009.
1 Corresponding author: pomian@uwm.edu.pl
© 2009 Poultry Science Association Inc.
1306

Percentage moisture, protein, fat, and ash content
was determined in meat samples according to the Asso-
ciation of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC, 1990).
Fatty acid and cholesterol determination was derived
from fat, which was separated via extraction of minced
meat with a chloroform and methanol mixture (2:1
vol:vol; Folch et al., 1957). The extracted fat was par-
tially esterified by Peisker’s method (Peisker, 1964) and
was subjected to chromatographic analysis to deter-
mine FA composition. A 6890 N (Agilent Technologies
Inc., Palo Alto, CA) gas chromatograph with a flame
ionization detector was applied. Treatment conditions
were as follows: temperature: detector - 250°C, injector
- 225°C, column - 180°C, carrier gas - helium, flow rate
- 0.7 cm3/min, and the length of the capillary column
- 30 m, internal diameter - 0.32 mm. Fatty acids were
identified based on retention times. The remaining part
of the extracted fat was assayed for cholesterol content.
Cholesterol was separated from fat after saponifica-
tion with KOH and extraction with ethyl ether by the
modified International Dairy Federation method (IDF,
1992). The sample was subjected to chromatographic
analysis in a PU-4600 (Pye Unican, Cambridge, UK)
chromatograph with a flame ionization detector. Treat-
ment conditions utilized the length of the glass column
- 1 m, internal diameter - 4 mm, temperature: detector
- 300°C, injector - 290°C, column - 260°C, carrier gas
- argon, flow rate - 50 cm3/min, and internal standard
- dotriacontane (Sigma, St. Louis, MO).
All data were verified statistically by a 1-way ANOVA
using a GLM procedure and Duncan’s multiple range
test. Treatment effects were regarded as significant at
P ≤ 0.01.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Proximate analysis of the breast and thigh muscle of
pigeon meat is presented in Table 1. Among the breeds
considered, the lowest protein content of breast muscle
was found in Kings, whereas the highest fat content of
breast muscle (P ≤ 0.01) was located in Wrocławski
pigeons. In the latter, the ash content of both muscles
was lower (P ≤ 0.01) than in Kings and Europigeons.
Proximate analysis of pigeon meat in 3 breeds consid-
ered appeared similar to that reported for the other
poultry species [e.g., turkey meat (protein 20.4%, fat
3.85%, ash 1.0%, and moisture 74.8%); Paleari et al.,
1998]. It should be noted that there was no difference
regarding proximate analysis in thigh muscle except of
ash (Table 1).
The cholesterol content of both muscles was lowest in
Europigeon (23.6 to 25.2 mg/100 g of tissue) by com-
parison with the King and Wrocławski pigeons (30.2 to
44.4 mg/100 g of tissue). It should be emphasized that
cholesterol content of meat determined in this study
(Table 2) is much lower than that reported for chicken
breast muscle (47.1 mg/100 g of tissue; Ponte et al.,
2004), turkey meat (34.2 to 84.8 mg/100 g of tissue;
Paleari et al., 1998; Komprda et al., 2002), ostrich meat
(63.0 to 68.4 mg/100 g of tissue; Horbanczuk et al.,
1998), and nandu meat (75.2 mg/100 g of tissue; Hor-
banczuk et al., 2004).
Table 1. Chemical composition of breast and thigh muscles of young growing pigeons (squabs) aged
28 d1
Item
Treatment
Wrocławski King Europigeon
Breast muscles
Moisture, % 66.52B ± 1.48 69.94A ± 1.18 70.59A ± 1.44
Protein, % 23.61A ± 1.38 21.73B ± 1.52 23.16AB ± 0.79
Fat, % 7.07A ± 0.23 4.95B ± 0.11 4.32B ± 1.51
Ash, % 1.11B ± 0.08 1.48A ± 0.09 1.42A ± 0.07
Thigh muscles
Moisture, % 69.29 ± 2.25 68.78 ± 1.94 70.15 ± 1.70
Protein, % 20.56 ± 0.69 21.33 ± 0.91 21.72 ± 1.44
Fat, % 7.54 ± 1.03 7.85 ± 1.25 7.13 ± 1.99
Ash, % 0.98B ± 0.13 1.36A ± 0.03 1.43A ± 0.15
A,BMeans with different superscripts within the same row differ significantly (P ≤ 0.01).
1Data represent mean values of 9 samples per breed.
Table 2. Cholesterol content of fat from meat (mg/100 g of meat)1
Kind of muscles
Treatment
Wrocławski King Europigeon
Breast 44.40A ± 0.23 30.20A ± 0.55 23.63B ± 0.37
Thigh 42.00B ± 0.66 32.50A ± 0.30 25.17B ± 0.31
A,BMeans with different superscripts within the same row differ significantly (P ≤ 0.01).
1Data represent mean values of 9 samples per breed.
RESEARCH NOTE 1307

The FA profile of breast and thigh muscles is shown
in Tables 3 and 4. The lowest level (P ≤ 0.01) of C18:0,
one of the most common saturated FA, was found in
breast muscle of King pigeons. An unusual trend was
observed in thigh muscles for monounsaturated FA
(MUFA), especially C18:1 and C16:1, the content of
which in King pigeons appeared higher (P ≤ 0.01) than
in the remaining 2 breeds (Table 3). However, the share
of total polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) was highest (P ≤
0.01) in the Wrocławski breed.
The total FA composition of muscle thigh appeared
less differentiated (Table 4). In King pigeons, it was char-
acterized by a higher (P ≤ 0.01) content of total MUFA
and by lower concentration of C20:4 and total PUFA
than in the remaining 2 breeds. In turn, Wrocławski
pigeons had a lower (P ≤ 0.01) share of C18:3 than did
King and Europigeons (Table 4). It should be stressed
that the total content of PUFA was clearly lower in
thigh than in breast muscles by 4.5 to 12%, depending
on the breed (Tables 3 and 4).
Table 3. Fatty acid profile of breast muscles of young growing pigeons (squabs) at the age of 28 d
(percentage content in total fatty acids)1
Fatty acids
Treatment
Wrocławski King Europigeon
C12:0 0.02B ± 0.03 0.02B ± 0.01 0.05A ± 0.01
C14:0 0.54B ± 0.06 0.70A ± 0.10 0.59B ± 0.05
C14:1 0.14B ± 0.01 0.16A ± 0.01 0.14B ± 0.01
C15:0 0.12C ± 0.01 0.47A ± 0.12 0.25B ± 0.01
C16:0 22.87 ± 1.16 23.62 ± 1.83 22.84 ± 0.08
C16:1 7.56B ± 0.26 10.53A ± 0.89 7.27B ± 0.23
C17:0 0.15A ± 0.01 0.07B ± 0.05 0.16A ± 0.01
C17:1 <0.001B<0.001B0.030A ± 0.01
C18:0 10.63A ± 1.05 8.07B ± 0.31 10.13A ± 0.41
C18:1 37.42C ± 2.66 44.07A ± 0.43 40.53B ± 0.89
C18:2 15.96A ± 0.32 10.66C ± 0.60 14.66B ± 0.32
C18:3 0.36B ± 0.16 0.17C ± 0.02 0.59A ± 0.11
C20:0 0.08B ± 0.07 <0.001C ± 0.01 0.17A ± 0.03
C20:1 0.10B ± 0.04 0.30A ± 0.01 0.30A ± 0.04
C20:4 4.03A ± 0.59 1.17C ± 0.05 2.29B ± 0.05
SFA234.43A ± 1.26 32.95B ± 1.16 34.20A ± 0.42
MUFA245.23C ± 2.70 55.05A ± 1.13 48.28B ± 1.01
PUFA220.35A ± 0.80 12.00B ± 0.64 17.55C ± 0.27
A–CMeans with different superscripts within the same row differ significantly (P ≤ 0.01).
1Data represent mean values of 9 samples per treatment.
2SFA = saturated fatty acids; MUFA = monounsaturated fatty acids; PUFA = polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Table 4. Fatty acid profile of thigh muscles of young growing pigeons (squabs) at the age of 28 d
(percentage content in total fatty acids)1
Fatty acids
Treatment
Wrocławski King Europigeon
C12:0 0.04A ± 0.001 0.01B ± 0.001 0.04A ± 0.03
C14:0 0.92A ± 0.03 0.87A ± 0.06 0.64B ± 0.01
C14:1 0.29B ± 0.02 0.35A ± 0.03 0.27B ± 0.01
C15:0 0.98A ± 0.04 0.44B ± 0.12 0.18C ± 0.02
C16:0 21.97A ± 0.05 22.09A ± 0.20 21.14B ± 0.07
C16:1 8.47C ± 0.01 11.25A ± 0.37 10.05B ± 0.04
C17:0 0.22A ± 0.001 0.15B ± 0.021 0.13B ± 0.002
C17:1 <0.001B<0.001B0.06A ± 0.01
C18:0 6.71A ± 0.05 6.13B ± 0.43 6.03B ± 0.04
C18:1 52.16A ± 0.29 50.65B ± 0.66 50.84B ± 0.19
C18:2 7.48B ± 0.23 7.30B ± 0.17 9.42A ± 0.01
C18:3 0.25C ± 0.001 0.36B ± 0.03 0.46A ± 0.03
C20:0 0.04B ± 0.01 0.06B ± 0.03 0.12A ± 0.01
C20:1 0.30B ± 0.01 0.34A ± 0.04 0.34A ± 0.01
C20:4 0.16C ± 0.02 0.01B ± 0.01 0.27A ± 0.01
SFA230.88A ± 0.11 29.74B ± 0.49 28.29C ± 0.07
MUFA261.21B ± 0.28 62.56A ± 0.43 61.56B ± 0.17
PUFA27.89B ± 0.23 7.66B ± 0.17 10.15A ± 0.08
A–CMeans with different superscripts within the same row differ significantly (P ≤ 0.01).
1Data represent mean values of 9 samples per treatment.
2SFA = saturated fatty acids; MUFA = monounsaturated fatty acids; PUFA = polyunsaturated fatty acids.
POMIANOWSKI ET AL.
1308

The FA composition of pigeon meat reported here is
similar to that previously reported in chicken by Paul
and Southgate (1978) and Salma et al. (2007) and for
turkey by Paleari et al. (1998) and Yan et al. (2006).
It differs, however, from the FA composition of ostrich
meat in which SFA:MUFA:PUFA ratio is 1:1:1 (Hor-
banczuk, 2002).
In conclusion, pigeon meat is characterized by high
nutritive value. Due to low cholesterol and a fairly high
protein content, it can be used as a valuable inclusive
component of the human diet. As far as FA composi-
tion is concerned, pigeon meat resembles meat types of
poultry species. Out of 3 meat-type breeds considered
in this study, we recommend, in succession, the Eu-
ropigeon, Wrocławski, and King breeds as nutritionally
important.
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RESEARCH NOTE 1309