Effect of dietary plant extracts mixture on pork meat quality

• Published in: Acta agriculturae Scandinavica. Section A, Animal science Vol. 61; no. 2; pp. 80 - 85
• Main Authors: Kołodziej-Skalska, A, Rybarczyk, A, Matysiak, B, Jacyno, E, Pietruszka, A, Kawęcka, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.06.2011; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: body weight; cooked foods; cooking quality; Diet; drip loss; electrical conductivity; experimental diets; finishing; Hogs; longissimus muscle; Meat; Meat quality; oregano; pepper; physico-chemical properties; pig diets; plant extracts; pork; raw meat; sensory evaluation; sensory properties; swine; water holding capacity
• ISSN: 1651-1972; 0906-4702; 1651-1972
• DOI: 10.1080/09064702.2011.599860

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a plant extracts mixture including carvacrol (oregano), cinnamaldehyde (cinnamom), and capsicum oleoresin (Mexican pepper) on the meat quality of pigs. The study was carried out on 60 pigs, divided into two groups (control and experimental), 30 pigs each. The control group was given a basal diet and the experimental group (XT group) received the basal diet supplemented with 80 mg/kg (XT). The fattening of pigs was carried out from a body weight of 30 to 100 kg. The pigs XT group had a lower M. longissimus dorsi (LD) electrical conductivity at 24 hour post-mortem, lower drip loss and cooking loss from the LD muscle, however, had a higher water holding capacity and a* values (redness) in the fresh meat. The plant extracts significantly increased the sensory quality of the fresh meat and the cooked meat.