Effect of High Dietary Level (8%) of Fish Oil on Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid n-3 Content in Pig Tissues and Plasma Biochemical Parameters

Abstract

There were two objectives of the present study using dietary fish oil (FO) in pigs: to use pigs as a model for studying the effects of high FO doses on selected physiological markers; and to evaluate the physical traits and nutritive value of pork enriched with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids n-3. Two groups of six female pigs were fed for 30 days with either a standard feed mixture (control, C) or the same mixture supplemented with 8% FO (F). Physical characteristics of the muscle, fatty acid deposition in tissues and selected hematologic and plasma markers were tested. The daily weight gain of the F-pigs was lower in comparison with controls (p p p p p p < 0.05). In conclusion, high dietary FO improved the texture and nutritive value of meat, but negatively affected plasma biochemical parameters.

Keywords

• docosahexaenoic acid
• plasma triacylglycerols
• neutrophils
• transaminases
• Warner-Bratzler shear force