Supplementation with high-oleic sunflower oil and alpha-tocopheryl acetate: Effects on pork meat lipids

[Nutrimail]

Oxidative processes are one of the main mechanisms of quality deterioration in meat and meat products as they cause loss of flavour, colour and nutritive value and consequently limit their shelf life. Moreover, the oxidative stability of meat and meat products depends on the balance of anti- and prooxidants and the oxidation substrates including PUFA, cholesterol, proteins and pigments, the addition of a proper amount of an antioxidant, such as a alpha-tocopheryl acetate (E),may increase the oxidative stability. The effects of a dietary administration of high-oleic sunflower oil (O) (about 85% oleic acid) to pigs, either or not in combination with alpha-tocopheryl acetate (E), were assessed with regard to the composition of the triacylglycerols, phospholipids and the level of vitamin E in Italian heavy pork meat.

A total of 64 crossbred Italian heavy pigs (32 castrated males and 32 intact females; Duroc x Large White) at a mean live weight of 70 kg were randomly assigned to four feeding groups: (1) control (C) (feed containing maize, barley, bran, soybean and integrators); (2) control+3% of high-oleic sunflower oil containing about 85% oleic acid and 7% linoleic acid (O); (3) control + 250 mg/kg alpha-tocopheryl acetate (E); (4) control + 3% high oleic sunflower oil+250 mg/kg alpha-tocopheryl acetate (OE). Four different diets were administered to castrated males and intact females until slaughtering (160–170 kg). The lipids of the loin (Longissimus lumborum) were characterized.

The administration of the diets rich in O with or without E led to an increase in the content of triacylglycerols containing oleic acid and a decrease of those containing linoleic and saturated acids, both in males and in females (P<0.05). However, the content of phosphatidylcholine increased (P<0.05), whereas the content of phosphatidylserine decreased (P<0.05) in the meat obtained with the diets O and OE, with respect to the corresponding controls (C and E). The level of free vitamin E doubled.

It is concluded that the dietary supplementation from 70 to 170 kg with high-oleic sunflower oil in association with vitamin E acetate affected the neutral lipid fraction. The triacylglycerols containing saturated fatty acids (palmitic and stearic) decreased by about 14%, whereas the content of triacylglycerols containing two oleic moieties increased (116%); the content of triolein increased by 40%.

tags: meat nutrition meat quality

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