Effects of dietary high-oleic acid sunflower oil, copper and vitamin E levels on the fatty acid composition and the quality of dry cured Parma ham

The effects of seven isoenergetic dietary treatments: (1) no sunflower oil, 35 mg/kg Cu, without alpha-tocopheryl-acetate added; (2) to (7) 6% high ol eic acid sunflower oil (HOSO), 35 or 175 mg/kg Cu crossed with a 0, 100 or 200 mg/kg alpha-tocopherol addition, were tested on quality characteristics of dry cured Parma hams from a total 84 Large White gilts. No statisticall y significant effect was detected on parameters of early evaluation of seas oning loss of hams. The seasoning loss and intramuscular fat content of sea soned hams averaged 28.1 and 3.3%, respectively, with no effect of the diet composition. The CIE L*a*b* colour values taken on the surface of the lean from Parma ham were not affected by dietary oil inclusion, nor by copper l evels and by alpha-tocopherol addition in the feed mixture, except for the 'a' value that increased in HOSO groups (P<0.01) and in groups with alpha-t ocopherol addition (P<0.01). The TEARS values in lean were reduced by the i nclusion of HOSO (P<0.05) and alpha-tocopherol supplementation (P<0.10). Co mpared to the no oil group, the Parma hams in the HOSO groups showed a high er oleic acid content in the covering fat, but not different in neutral and polar fractions from semimembranosus muscle. The oil inclusion reduced the saturated fatty acid content in subcutaneous fat and neutral lipids fracti on from muscle to 30-34% No effect of alpha-tocopherol and copper levels we re observed on fatty acids profiles. From the subjects fed the HOSO diet so fter Parma hams were produced than those fed the control diet (chi(2) < 0.0 5), while alpha-tocopherol and Cu levels did not influence the sensorial ev aluation of hams. The inclusion of an oleic acid rich source in heavy pig d iet brought about an improved nutritional value, but also the possible need of a prolonged ageing time to achieve an ideal firmness of Parma ham. Diet ary alpha-tocopherol supplementation improved the red colour slightly and t he lipid stability in Parma ham, while the supplementation of Cu in the die t had no influence on the tested parameters. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.