Effects of selenium and vitamin E supplementation on selenium distribution and meat quality of pigs

Meat quality, free fatty acid concentration, and oxidative stability of pork from animals fed diets containing different sources of selenium

This study evaluates the effect of the source of dietary selenium supplementation (organic versus mineral) and the combined effect of organic selenium and vitamin E on the fatty acid composition and lipolysis in pork intramuscular fat and other meat quality characteristics such as drip loss and lipid stability. Higher vitamin E deposition, lower drip loss, and higher stability against oxidation were detected in muscle from pigs fed organic selenium. Also higher proportion of free fatty acids was observed in intramuscular fat from pigs fed organic selenium than those fed inorganic selenium, being these mainly coming from neutral lipid fraction. In addition, the inclusion of vitamin E in the diet enhanced such effect. Dietary organic selenium also increased Δ9-desaturase and elongase indexes and C18:1n−9 concentration. A related decrease of C18:0 concentration was also observed. Described differences in the lipid fraction composition could affect sensory characteristics of meat and meat products.