Abstract
This study investigated functional dipeptide (anserine and carnosine) concentrations and antioxidant activities of Silky Fowl. Fresh meat from Silky Fowl contained 1.6- to 2.3-fold higher carnosine content compared with other chickens (p < 0.05). The carnosine content of fresh meat from Silky Fowl was higher than the anserine content, in contrast to that of common chicken. Our study showed that the meat extract of Silky Fowl is a good scavenger of the hydroxyl radical. Significant correlations between the total dipeptide content of meat extracts and hydroxyl radical scavenging (IC50 values) activity were additionally revealed by multiple regression analysis (breast: R = 0.684, p < 0.001; thigh: R = 0.729, p < 0.001). Since Silky Fowl is especially rich in carnosine, these findings make this breed potentially useful as a rich dietary source of antioxidant dipeptides.
