Fatty acid composition and oxidative stability of breast meat from broiler chickens supplemented with Moringa oleifera leaf meal over a period of refrigeration

•Supplementation of Moringa oleifera leaf meal as an additive was evaluated.•Fatty acid composition, in particular unsaturated, was improved with M. oleifera leaf meal supplementation.•Additive supplementation of M. oleifera leaf meal improved oxidative stability in meat.•At high inclusion levels, additive M. oleifera supplementation had no adverse effect on broiler performance. Effects of diets supplemented with or without Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) on fatty acid (FA) composition and oxidative stability of broiler breast meat during refrigerated storage was determined. Dietary treatments (T) were as follows: T1, positive control, 668g/ton Salinomycin and 500g/ton Albac; T2, T3 and T4 contained graded levels of MOLM at 1%, 3% and 5% of dry matter (DM) intake, respectively; and T5, a negative control (0% additives). Oxidative stability was evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) on day (D) 1–8 of storage at 4°C; and FA analysis was done on samples obtained on D1 and D8. Significant effects on TBARS were noted on day (D) 1, 3, 4 and 7; increased with increasing storage time, and with increase in MOLM supplementation. Highest (P