Effects on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and the fat and meat fatty acid profile of rabbits fed diets with chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed supplements

Effects of Chia Seeds on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits and Fatty Acid Profile of Lamb Meat

The aim of this work was to supplement a diet with chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) based on the requirements of finishing lambs for meat, and to analyze biometric parameters and fatty acid profiles in meat. Eighteen male Rambouillet lambs with a bodyweight of 25 kg were used. Animals were kept in individual pens with water and feed provided ad libitum. Three finishing diets were designed with the inclusion of 0, 50 and 100 g dry matter chia seeds and divided among the animals (n = 6). The experimental period lasted 60 days. The weights of the individual lambs were recorded every 14 days. At the end of the experiment, the animals were slaughtered and the weights of the hot carcasses and non-meat components were registered. In addition, an analysis of the fatty acid composition was carried out in the muscles (Longissimus thoracis). The total weight gain and average daily gain displayed significant differences (p < 0.05). Initial and final bodyweights, such as the dry matter intake, did not display differences. The fatty acid profile of the meat tended to decrease the SFA (stearic acid) and increase MUFA (oleic acid) (p < 0.0001) when chia seeds were added to the lamb diets. In conclusion, chia seed supplementation did not increase meat production or other biometric parameters; however, it modified the fatty acid profile in L. thoracis.

Dietary Plukenetia conophora seed alters muscle cholesterol, antioxidant enzymes, and fatty acids in growing rabbits

The influence of dietary inclusion of Plukenetia conophora seed (PCS) on growth, carcass, muscle antioxidant enzymes, fatty acids, meat quality, and sensory attributes of Longissimus thoracis et lumburum muscle in rabbits was examined. Seventy-two, 28 d old male New Zealand rabbits (750 ± 20 g) were randomly allotted to diets containing either no PCS (PCS-0), 2.5% PCS (PCS-2.5) or 5% PCS (PCS-5) for eight weeks, and euthanized. PCS-5 rabbits had higher (P < 0.05) body and carcass weights than the PCS-0 rabbits. Dietary PCS improved feed efficiency in rabbits. Muscle antioxidant enzymes activities and total phenols were higher while muscle cholesterol was lower (P < 0.05) in supplemented meat than the PCS-0 meat. The concentration of C22:6n-3, C20:5n-3 and C18:3n-3 was higher (P < 0.05) in the supplemented meat than the PCS-0 meat. Sensory attributes, carbonyl, and TBARS values and physicochemical properties of meat did not differ among diets. Supplementation of PCS-5 enhances muscle n-3 fatty acids without impairing the sensory properties, and oxidative stability of rabbit meat.

Quantifying Cardinal Temperatures of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Using Non-Linear Regression Models

Temperature is the main factor that impacts germination and therefore the success of annual crops, such as chia (Salvia hispanica L.), whose seeds are known for their high nutritional value related to its oil. The effect of temperature on germination is related to cardinal-temperature concepts that describe the range of temperature over which seeds of a particular species can germinate. Therefore, in this study, in addition to calculated germinative parameters such as total germination and germination rate of S. hispanica seeds, the effectiveness of non-linear models for estimating the cardinal temperatures of chia seeds was also determined. We observed that germination of S. hispanica occurred in cold to moderate-high temperatures (10-35 °C), having an optimal range between 25 and 35 °C, with the highest GR and t₅₀ at 30 °C. Temperatures higher than 35 °C significantly reduced germination. Output parameters of the different non-linear models showed that the response of chia germination to temperature was best explained by beta models (B). Cardinal temperatures calculated by the B1 model for chia germination were: 2.52 ± 6.82 °C for the base, 30.45 ± 0.32 °C for the optimum, and 48.58 ± 2.93 °C for the ceiling temperature.

Quantifying Cardinal Temperatures of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Using Non-Linear Regression Models

Temperature is the main factor that impacts germination and therefore the success of annual crops, such as chia (Salvia hispanica L.), whose seeds are known for their high nutritional value related to its oil. The effect of temperature on germination is related to cardinal-temperature concepts that describe the range of temperature over which seeds of a particular species can germinate. Therefore, in this study, in addition to calculated germinative parameters such as total germination and germination rate of S. hispanica seeds, the effectiveness of non-linear models for estimating the cardinal temperatures of chia seeds was also determined. We observed that germination of S. hispanica occurred in cold to moderate-high temperatures (10-35 °C), having an optimal range between 25 and 35 °C, with the highest GR and t₅₀ at 30 °C. Temperatures higher than 35 °C significantly reduced germination. Output parameters of the different non-linear models showed that the response of chia germination to temperature was best explained by beta models (B). Cardinal temperatures calculated by the B1 model for chia germination were: 2.52 ± 6.82 °C for the base, 30.45 ± 0.32 °C for the optimum, and 48.58 ± 2.93 °C for the ceiling temperature.

Effects of "fresh mechanically deboned meat" inclusion on nutritional value, palatability, shelf-life microbiological risk and digestibility in dry dog food

Fresh mechanically deboned meat (MDM) is usually claimed as high-quality ingredient on dry pet food recipes and this aspect may positively influence consumer choice. It is important to determine the scientifically sustainability of this claim and to assess the microbiological safety of MDM inclusion in dry pet food. Objectives were: 1) to evaluate the effect of inclusion of MDM in dry dog food on fatty acid profile and in vivo and in vitro digestibility, proposing a new system (Daisy^II Incubator) to measure the in vitro digestibility for dogs; 2) to compare palatability of dry dog food containing MDM with dry dog food in which meat by-products (MBP) are the only animal protein sources; 3) to determine, whether or not, the inclusion of that ingredient changes the microbiology and the storage quality. Results indicated that MDM product was characterized by significant higher nutritional value in terms of fatty acids profile, in vitro digestibility (HV-IVD method) and lower palatability than the MBP product. Microbiological risk assessment showed no microbiological hazards for either product. After 6-months storage, the total mesophilic bacterial count ranged between 1.77 and 2.09 log CFU/g feed, while polyamine values were higher in the MDM (0.37 g/kg) than in the MBP (0.27 g/kg). The Daisy^II Incubator was found to be a valid instrument for studying in vitro digestibility also for dogs, providing data simply, quickly, with less variability and costs than in vivo trials. In conclusion, MDM inclusion in dry dog food is microbiologically safe and it can improve its nutritional quality, at the expense of a reduced palatability. The higher polyamine levels fount in MDM-enriched petfood after 6-months storage, however, may represent a possible hazard, and further studies are still warranted.

Benefits of Enterocin M and Sage Combination on the Physico-chemical Traits, Fatty Acid, Amino Acid, and Mineral Content of Rabbit Meat

Higher rabbit meat consumption can be ensured by increasing of its quality due to its improved nutritional properties. The effect of enterocin M (EntM) and sage on growth performance, physico-chemical properties, fatty acid (FA), amino acid (AA), and mineral concentrations of rabbit meat was evaluated. Sixty-four rabbits (M91 meatline, both sexes) were divided into three experimental: E (EntM), S (sage), E + S (EntM + sage) groups and control group (C). The additives were administrated in drinking water during 21 days. Lower pH (E, S: P < 0.05; E + S: P < 0.001) and decrease in water content were noted in all experimental groups compared with controls (C). Higher values of lightness (L^*), yellowness (b^*), and redness (a^*; except group E) were measured. The sage administration increased the fat and protein contents (P < 0.05), the meat energy value (S vs. C: P < 0.01; S vs. E and E + S: P < 0.05), the concentrations of arachidonic (P < 0.05), eicosapentaeonic (P < 0.05), and oleic acids (P < 0.01), magnesium (P < 0.05), and potassium (P < 0.01) content. The additives did not influence the rabbit meat AA composition. The sage diet inclusion could improve the quality of rabbit meat due to its higher protein, fat, and energy contents and enhance the PUFA and mineral content of rabbit meat. Moreover, the effect of EntM on meat color parameters, FA and AA composition, has not been tested in rabbits previously.

The carcass traits, carcass nutrient composition, amino acid, fatty acid, and cholesterol contents of local Turkish goose varieties reared in an extensive production system

This study was performed to determine the slaughter and carcass traits, meat color, pH, nutrient composition, fatty acids, amino acids, and cholesterol content of local Turkish goose varieties. In the present study, a total of 80 geese from white, black, gray, and multicolored varieties were reared in an extensive production system at 28 wk of age. Quality analysis was performed on breast and thigh meat, as well as on the skin and abdominal fat of studied geese. Slaughter and carcass weights were significantly higher in the white variety (P < 0.01). Measured abdominal fat was lower in black and gray geese. Furthermore, the color and pH values were significantly different on breast, thigh, and skin among varieties. Additionally, measured breast meat b*, thigh meat L*, and b* values were higher in male geese. Breast meat protein levels were lower in black and gray geese, and also lower in the thigh meat of gray geese. Total breast meat amino acids were lower in white geese, and the amino acid content of thigh meat was lower in multicolored varieties. Moreover, differences in fatty acid composition were found among the studied varieties. However, cholesterol levels did not differ for either sex or variety.

A Renewable Source as a Functional Food: Chia Seed

Background:

Chia seed is not a new food for humanity. The seed has been used in many different areas since the Aztecs, especially the food items. The chia seed is -becoming increasingly important because of its nutritional and functional properties and it is described as “the seed of the 21st century” and “new gold and super nutrient”.

Background:

In this review, general characteristics, nutritional composition, fields of usage, effects on health and importance in human nutrition of the chia seed have been evaluated.

Conclusion:

This seed is shown as an important source of dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble), omega- 3 fatty acids, proteins, bioactive and polyphenolic compounds. It also has many physicochemical and functional properties that make it more suitable for the food industry. Chia seed is a good thickener, gel forming and chelating agent, foam enhancer, emulsifier, suspending agent and rehydration factor. Foods such as frozen products, bakery products, beverages, sweets, pasta, and sausages can be enriched with seeds and chia oil can be used as fat replacer for these products. Some studies have shown that consumption of the seed is beneficial for health problems such as dyslipidemia, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases and insulin resistance. However, the results of studies demonstrating the effect of the seeds on diseases have been controversial and many of the studies on this subject are animal studies. There is a need for further studies to reveal the effects of chia seed on human health and its importance in the food industry.

Effect of fish oil supplementation and restricted feeding on body fat distribution and blood lipid profile in a rabbit model of castration-induced obesity

This study investigates the effect of fish oil supplementation and restricted feeding on body fat distribution and blood lipid profile in experimentally induced obesity in rabbits. The trial was carried out with 30 male rabbits, divided into 5 groups of 6 animals each (NC - non-castrated, non-treated, full-diet fed; C100 - castrated, non-treated, full-diet fed; FO100 - castrated, treated with fish oil, full-diet fed; C50 - castrated, non-treated, 50% restricted fed; FO50 - castrated, treated with fish oil, 50% restricted fed). At the end of the experiment, plasma lipids measurement and quantification of fat distribution was performed. The results of this study indicate that fish oil supplementation reduces obesity-associated abnormalities in lipid profile (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and non-esterified fatty acids) and in body fat distribution in full-diet fed rabbits. Restricted feeding (C50) alone and the combination of restricted feeding and fish oil supplementation (FO50) in particular, has a detrimental effect on the lipid profile despite the marked reduction in intra-abdominal fat.

Effect of a cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae var. Botrytis) leaf powder-enriched diet on performance, carcass and meat characteristics of growing rabbit

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a cauliflower leaf powder (CLP)-enriched diet on the performance, quality and antioxidative potential of rabbit meat. No significant differences were found for live performance parameters between rabbits fed with standard (SD) and CLP diet. Dietary supplementation influenced the meat traits of rabbits: CLP meat showed significantly lower drip loss after 48 h, cooking loss, and a significantly higher lightness (L*) and redness (a*) values, vitamin A and vitamin E content, and oxidative stability, compared to SD meat. Moreover, the CLP supplementation caused a significant decrease in SFA and increase in PUFA percentage of rabbit intramuscular fat. The statistical analysis also showed a significant effect of dietary fortification on phenolic content and antioxidant activity of rabbit meat which resulted higher in meat of CLP group. This study highlighted that dietary fortification with CLP is a valid strategy to produce rabbit meat with better technological and functional quality.

Rabbit meat production and consumption: State of knowledge and future perspectives

Since the 1970s, in some European countries rabbit meat production has progressively become a highly specialized industry, which has made Europe the second (after China) largest rabbit meat producer in the world. However, the industry is currently facing a critical period due to structural weaknesses, progressive and constant reductions in consumption, and raising criticism related to welfare conditions and other ethical issues. This trend is questioning the future of the rabbit meat industry, which could lead to the loss of knowledge and technical expertise acquired over decades of major investments and research efforts (a valuable cultural and professional heritage for future generations). In the present review, we provide an overview of the rabbit meat industry, market and value chain, we depict consumer's attitude towards rabbit meat, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and factors driving their current purchase behavior. Finally, we will attempt to outline possible strategies to ensure a sustainable future for the production of rabbits for commercial meat purposes.

Effect of varying the energy density on growth performance, meat quality, caecum fermentation and microbiota of growing Rex rabbits

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of varying the digestible energy (DE) density on growth performance, meat quality, caecum fermentation and microbiota in 3–5-month-old Rex rabbits. One-hundred and eighty 3-month-old Rex rabbits were allocated in individual cages to five treatments with diets having DE levels (MJ/kg as-fed basis) of 9.46, 9.97, 10.46, 10.94 and 11.43, respectively. The results showed as follows: with increasing DE concentration the average daily gain, muscle pH value of 45 min post-mortem, caecal pH value and NH3-N concentration increased (P < 0.05). Bacterial denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) of partial 16S rRNA genes profiles were clearly different among different treatments, which suggests that the population of microorganism in the caecum was influenced by the dietary DE density.

Effects of dietary vitamin B6 on the skeletal muscle protein metabolism of growing rabbits

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin B6 on the skeletal muscle protein metabolism and expression of transcription and growth factor of growing rabbits. Two hundred, healthy, rabbits with similar bodyweights were randomly assigned to one of five dietary groups with 40 animals per group. The dietary groups consisted of the following different vitamin B6 supplementation levels: 0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg. The feeding trial lasted 60 days. The results showed that dietary vitamin B6 elicited significant effects on the fore and hind leg muscle ratio (the fore and hind leg muscle weight/the liveweight; P < 0.05) and on serum total amino acids (T-AA), blood urea and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) content (P < 0.05). Additionally, expression of IGF1, myogenic determination factor (MYOD) and myogenin (MYOG), myocyte regulation factor 5 (MYF5), myostatin (MSTN) and WW domain-containing E3 proteasome ubiquitin ligase 1 (WWP1) mRNA in the loin (M. longissimus dorsi) were affected by vitamin B6 in diets (P < 0.05). The immunoblot analysis revealed that dietary vitamin B6 elicited significant effects on IGF1, MYOG and WWP1 expression in the loin (P < 0.05). Our results indicate that the addition of dietary vitamin B6 can significantly alter the protein metabolism of growing rabbits and that an appropriate vitamin B6 supplementation level is 20 mg/kg for 3–5-month-old growing rabbits (the basic diet vitamin B6 content was 4.51 mg/kg).

Effects of plant extracts and essential oils as feed supplements on quality and microbial traits of rabbit meat

The effects of dietary supplementation of onion, cranberry,  strawberry and essentials oils on meat quality were analysed. Five groups of 48 Grimaud female weaned rabbits received the supplemented or the control ration; the experimental unit was a cage of 6 rabbits. Each experimental diet contained 10 ppm of added active ingredients.  Rabbits were fed with the experimental diets for 4 wk before determining slaughter and carcass traits and determining the pH at 1 and 24 h post mortem (pHu) of the <em>Longissimus dorsi</em> (LD) and the <em>Biceps femoris</em> (BF) muscle, left and right, respectively. Cooking loss, drip loss and L*, a* and b* color parameters were obtained of the right<em> </em>LD and for ground meat and antioxidant status (TBARS, DNPH, Folin Ciocalteu). Only the pHu of the LD muscle for the strawberry supplemented group was significantly lower when compared to the control group (P=0.04). However, we note that for the pH of the LD, the average was less than 6 for the meat of animals who received a diet enriched in polyphenols, compared to the control group. Plant extract supplementation did not influence meat quality traits, growth performance or oxidative stability. But under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, our results indicate that diet supplementation with extracts rich in polyphenols, especially with essential oils, had a small bot sporadic positive effect in reducing bacterial microflora compared to the control group (P&lt;0.05). In conclusion, plant extracts and essential oils can be used in a rabbit diet without adverse effects on performance and meat quality traits. This effect could be optimized by investigating higher doses.

Performance of growing rabbits fed increasing levels of discarded Salvia hispanica L. (chia) seed

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of including five levels of discarded chia seed (DCS) on growth, energy, and economic efficiency in rabbits. Fifty crossbred (New Zealand × Californian) weaning rabbits, weighing 798 ± 170 g, were randomly assigned to the following treatments: 0 % (control), 10 % (Ch10), 20 % (Ch20), 30 % (Ch30), and 40 % (Ch40) of DCS. Ten unsexed rabbits were allocated to each treatment and housed individually in cages; the experimental period was 6 weeks. There were no statistically significant differences between treatments in final body weight (2050 g), body weight gain (30 g/rabbit/day), and carcass weight (1010 g); however, feed intake (91 g/rabbit/day in Ch20 vs. 80 g/rabbit/day in Ch40), feed conversion ratio (2.77 in control and Ch40 vs. 2.95 in Ch10, Ch20, and Ch30), energy conversion ratio (32 MJ/kg in Ch20 vs. 29 MJ/kg on average in control, Ch10, Ch20, Ch30, and Ch40), and economic efficiency (358 % in control vs. 433 % in Ch40) showed differences (P < 0.05) between treatments. Discarded chia seed can be included up to 40 % in growing rabbit diets without any adverse effects on growth and carcass weight, and increased economic efficiency.

Effect of feeding diets containing barley, wheat and corn distillers dried grains with solubles on carcass traits and meat quality in growing rabbits

The effect of dietary inclusion of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on carcass and meat quality of longissimus muscle was studied in 100 growing rabbits from 28 to 59days old. Diets with no DDGS (C), barley (Db20), wheat (Dw20) and corn (Dc20) DDGS at 20% and corn (Dc40) DDGS at 40% were formulated. No effects on most of the carcass traits, texture and water holding capacity were found. Barley and corn DDGS led to a higher dissectible fat percentage. Meat redness was higher with Dw20 and pH was higher with Dw20 and Db20 than with Dc20. Protein and saturated fatty acids concentration declined as corn DDGS level increased. Dc40 led to the lowest saturated/unsaturated fatty acid ratio, atherogenic index and thrombogenic index. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of these DDGS at 20% did not affect most of the carcass and meat quality traits in rabbits.

Growth performance, meat quality and Fatty Acid metabolism response of growing meat rabbits to dietary linoleic Acid

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different amounts of dietary linoleic acid (LA) on growth performance, serum biochemical traits, meat quality, fatty acids composition of muscle and liver, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT 1) mRNA expression in the liver of 9 wks old to 13 wks old growing meat rabbits. One hundred and fifty 9 wks old meat rabbits were allocated to individual cages and randomly divided into five groups. Animals in each group were fed with a diet with the following LA addition concentrations: 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 g/kg diet (as-fed basis) and LA concentrations were 0.84, 1.21, 1.34, 1.61 and 1.80% in the diet, respectively. The results showed as follows: the dietary LA levels significantly affected muscle color of LL included a* and b* of experimental rabbits (p<0.05). The linear effect of LA on serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol was obtained (p = 0.0119). The saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) contents of LL decreased and the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) content of LL increased with dietary LA increase (p<0.0001). The PUFA n-6 content and PUFA n-3 content in the LL was significantly affected by the dietary LA levels (p<0.01, p<0.05). The MUFAs content in the liver decreased and the PUFAs contents in the liver increased with dietary LA increase (p<0.0001). The PUFA n-6 content and the PUFA n-6/n-3 ratio in the liver increased and PUFA n-3 content in the liver decreased with dietary LA increase (p<0.01). The linear effect of LA on CPT 1 mRNA expression in the liver was obtained (p = 0.0081). In summary, dietary LA addition had significant effects on liver and muscle fatty acid composition (increased PUFAs) of 9 wks old to 13 wks old growing meat rabbits, but had little effects on growth performance, meat physical traits and mRNA expression of liver relative enzyme of experimental rabbits.

Effects of Rosemary Oil (Rosmarinus officinalis) on the Shelf-Life of Minced Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) during Refrigerated Storage

The effects of three concentrations (0.2%, 1% and 3%) of rosemary oil (RO) on the freshness indicators, oxidative stability, fatty acid and biogenic amine (BA) contents of minced rainbow trout muscle (MTM) were investigated after different periods of storage (three and nine days) at 4 ± 1 °C. Moreover, the terpene and sesquiterpene contents in the treated MTM were also measured. RO treatment improves the pH, oxidative stability of the lipids and the FA profile, which resulted in a significant extension of MTM shelf-life. Storage time influenced all freshness indicators, with the exception of yellowness and chroma. Treatment with RO had a positive effect, leading to low BA content, especially putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine and histamine. Differences in BA were also found to be due to storage time, with the exception of spermidine, which was not influenced by time. Moreover, the presence of the terpenoid fraction of RO in MTM improved the quality of this ready-to-cook fish food.

The promising future of chia, Salvia hispanica L

With increasing public health awareness worldwide, demand for functional food with multiple health benefits has also increased. The use of medicinal food from folk medicine to prevent diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular problems is now gaining momentum among the public. Seed from Salvia hispanica L. or more commonly known as chia is a traditional food in central and southern America. Currently, it is widely consumed for various health benefits especially in maintaining healthy serum lipid level. This effect is contributed by the presence of phenolic acid and omega 3/6 oil in the chia seed. Although the presence of active ingredients in chia seed warrants its health benefits, however, the safety and efficacy of this medicinal food or natural product need to be validated by scientific research. In vivo and clinical studies on the safety and efficacy of chia seed are still limited. This paper covers the up-to-date research on the identified active ingredients, methods for oil extraction, and in vivo and human trials on the health benefit of chia seed, and its current market potential.

Effects of replacing palm oil with maize oil and Curcuma longa supplementation on the performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and fatty acid profile of the perirenal fat and muscle of growing rabbits

An experiment has been conducted to study the effects of the inclusion of plant oil in rabbit diets. This study was aimed at evaluating the beneficial effects of the inclusion of maize oil (MO), rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), compared to palm oil (PO) containing saturated fatty acids (SFAs), on the meat fatty acid (FA) profile. As UFAs are susceptible to rancidity, Curcuma longa (CL), which is known for its antioxidant properties, was also added (3 g/kg) to the diet with two plant oils. CL contains curcuminoids, volatile oils, sugars, proteins, resins and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). We also evaluated the influence of CL inclusion in the diet on the FA profile of the meat. Furthermore, the possibility of using these oil-enriched diets and the ability to assimilate CL in rabbits was evaluated by analysing the performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality. At the end of the experiment, there were no significant differences between the groups concerning the live weight, live weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, carcass yield or the percentages of edible organs. The hind legs, forelegs, loins and abdominal wall, breast and ribs, skin and limbs and head were not affected by the oil type or by the inclusion of CL. The chemical composition, pH and oxidative status of the Longissimus dorsi muscle of the rabbits fed the experimental diets were not affected by the oil source or by the CL supplementation. Conversely, it has been shown that it is possible to modify the FA profile of rabbit meat and fat by dietary means. The SFA/PUFA ratio significantly decreased from -18% to -16% in the meat and from -25% to -23% in the perirenal fat of the rabbits fed diets containing MO without or with CL supplementation, respectively, compared to same tissues of the rabbits fed diets containing PO without or with CL supplementation, respectively. Similar trends were found for the atherogenic index, which decreased from -20% to -17% in the meat and from -26% to -23% in the perirenal fat, respectively, and the thrombogenic index, which decreased from -19% to -24% in the meat and from -24% to -23% in the perirenal fat, respectively. CL increased the α-Linolenic acid and PUFA n-3 contents and reduced the vaccenic acid content and the n-6/n-3 ratio in the meat of the rabbits fed the PO or MO diets.

Chemical and sensory quality of lamb meat burgers from Manchego Spanish breed

This study examines the nutritional composition, fatty acid profile and sensory properties of two types of lamb burgers from the Spanish Manchego breed (formula 1 = L: completely from leg lamb meat; formula 2 = LNB with 2/3 leg and 1/3 neck and breast meat). A significant effect of the formulation type was found since Formula 1 had a lower fat percentage (p < 0.001) and higher protein content (p < 0.05). The percentage of total fatty acids and the profile varied for both formulas and consequently their indexes. In addition, the levels of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were slightly lower (p < 0.001) and higher (p < 0.001), respectively, in burgers L than in LNB although both types of burgers raised fatty acid indexes in a healthy threshold. As regarding the sensorial analysis, non-significant differences were described among both formulas. In conclusion, meat quality characteristics were similar for both formulation types being the storage time, the only factor affecting lamb burger stability.

Effects of Dietary Fatty Acids on Lipid Traits in the Muscle and Perirenal Fat of Growing Rabbits Fed Mixed Diets

Simple Summary

Polyunsaturated fatty acids in human foods have been shown to have health benefits. We investigated the potential to incorporate them into rabbit meat by adding them to the diet. Good relationships between dietary fatty acids (FAs) and their content in longissimus dorsi muscle and perirenal fat of rabbits was established, especially the latter. The results should make it possible to enhance the polyunsaturated fatty acid content of rabbit meat, with benefits to the health of human consumers.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of various raw materials (spirulina, curcuma, tomato pomace, false flax, linseed, chia, perilla seeds) as suitable polyunsaturated fatty acid n-3 (n-3 PUFA) sources, on the lipid traits in the longissimus dorsi muscle and perirenal fat of growing rabbits. The fatty acid (FA) analyses of the diets, carried out by gas chromatography, differed over a wide range on the basis of the highly varied ingredients in 27 experimental formulations. Among the 29 identified FAs, three from feeds were catabolized in the rabbits, five were de novo synthesized and stored chiefly in the muscle. It was possible to linearly characterize the incorporation from the feed to the muscle of 16 FAs. This study has confirmed that the dietary inclusion of various raw materials could be considered as a way of enriching the n-3 PUFA of rabbit meat. A proposal for the prediction of n-3 PUFA from dietary α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) and a panel of another 10 FAs has been made for intramuscular fat (R² = 0.94) and perirenal fat (R² = 0.96).

Dehulled-micronised lupin (Lupinus albus L. cv. Multitalia) as the main protein source for broilers: influence on growth performance, carcass traits and meat fatty acid composition

BACKGROUND

A study was carried out to compare the effect of diets containing micronised-dehulled lupin (Lupinus albus L. cv. Multitalia) on growth performance, carcass yields and meat fatty acid profile of broiler chickens.

RESULTS

Hubbard strain chicks receiving from 14 d to slaughtering age (49 d) a wheat middlings-based diet containing either deffatted soybean meal (195 g kg(-1), control) or dehulled micromicronised lupins (240 g kg(-1)) as the main protein source were used. The inclusion of treated lupin meal in the diet did not result in lower growth rates of chicks. Lupin diet had no effect on dressing percentage, or breast and drumstick muscles relative weights, but a reduction of abdominal fat content was reported (P < 0.05). White and dark meats of birds fed lupin diet had significant (P < 0.05) lower L* (lightness) values and fat content (P < 0.05). Total collagen and water-holding capacity values were higher in lupin treatment. Feeding the lupin diet resulted in lower saturated fatty acid content in breast and drumstick meat, as well as the n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio and saturation, atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes, while total PUFA and monounsaturated fatty acids levels increased (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that replacing soybean meal with dehulled-micronised lupin meal in diet for broiler chickens can produce meat with favourable lipid profile and quality, with no adverse effects on productive parameters.