The present study was carried out to examine the effects of Satureja khuzistanica Essential Oils
(SkEO), on cholesterol content, fatty acids composition, and Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances,
(TBARS) concentration of raw breast meat in broiler chickens. A total of 720 one-day-old broiler
chicks (Cobb 500) were taken as sample to study the effects of six experimental treatments in 6
replicates of 20 birds each, in a 42 day trial. Treatments were comprised of continual addition of 0
(control-), 200, 300, 400 and 500 mg/ L SkEO or 500 mg/ L Polysorbate-80 (at 1:1 ratio v/v; control+)
into drinking water. Fatty acid composition, cholestrol and TBARS contents were assessed on 6 breast
muscle samples per treatment. Water consumption was significanlty reduced in birds receiving SkEOadded
water as compared with control groups (P<0.05). Administration of 400 mg/ L of SkEO in
water significantly improved the economic performance efficiency of the birds (P<0.05).
Concentration of C18:2, C20:4, total saturated, total unsaturated and ω-6 fatty acids significanlty
differed among birds recieving SkEO-treated water vs. control (P<0.05). Cholestrol content in the
breast muslce was significanlty reduced through an addition of SkEO at 500 mg/ L into the drinking
water (P<0.10). The continul incorporation of SkEO in drinking water at levels greater than 200 mg/ L
significantly decreased TBARS concentration in breast muscle of the birds at their day 42 of age. It
was concluded that the application of SkEO through drinking water may be feasible to enhance the
lipid stability and to modulate the cholestrol content in broiler meat. Despite the supportive
indications observed, further studies are needed to more strongly confirm the cholesterol-reducing
effect of SkEO in broiler. There ware indications that one could verify the fatty acid-modulating
effects of SkEO as regards chicks. breast meat in broiler chickens.