SELECTIVE IMPROVEMENT OF PORCINE FAT FIRMNESS BY A DIET ENRICHED IN MEDIUM-CHAIN FATTY-ACIDS

The effects of 4% fat either rich in medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA; s aturated fat) or in polyenoic fatty acids (PUFA; unsaturated fat) isoe nergetically exchanging carbohydrates of a low-fat diet (control) on p erformance and product quality were evaluated with 180 growing pigs. G rowth, carcass and meat quality were not affected by the fat treatment s. Although elevated in blood serum, cholesterol was not increased in belly meat when the MCFA-rich diet was fed. Fatty acid composition of backfat reflected dietary fat composition. The significantly lowest sh elf life and melting temperatures were found with the unsaturated-fat diet. When compared with control, fat tissue PUFA contents were slight ly higher in the saturated-fat diet, and fat melting temperatures were somewhat lower. In contrast, the use of this MCFA-enriched diet incre ased penetrometer firmness in pure 4 degrees C temperated backfat by m ore than 50% as compared with control and to about the tenfold level o f the firmness obtained in the unsaturated-fat diet. Impression of fla vour and odor in lean and fatty meat were not systematically affected by the diets. The present results show a high potential. of MCFA-enric hed diets to selectively increase fat firmness in pigs without greater undesired side effects on other traits of product quality.