Effect of slaughter weight on carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipidomics profiling in longissimus thoracis of finishing pigs

• Published in: Food science & technology Vol. 140; p. 110705
• Main Authors: Li, Jing, Yang, Yuanyuan, Zhan, Tengfei, Zhao, Qingyu, Zhang, Junmin, Ao, Xiang, He, Jian, Zhou, Jianchuan, Tang, Chaohua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2021
• Subjects: Lipid class; Lipid molecule; Lipidomics; Partial least squares-discriminant analysis; Slaughter weight; Lipidomics; Slaughter weight; Partial least squares-discriminant analysis; Lipid class; Lipid molecule
• ISSN: 0023-6438; 1096-1127
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2020.110705

Slaughter weight greatly affect carcass characteristics and meat quality. Lipids are considered to be critical contributors to meat quality and vary with different physiological conditions. In this study, we investigated the carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipidomics profiling of longissimus thoracis from finishing pigs with different slaughter weights. Increasing slaughter weight increased average backfat thickness (p < 0.01) and intramuscular fat content (p < 0.05), and decreased shear force (p < 0.01) and cooking loss values (p < 0.01). A total of 592 lipids from 19 lipid classes identified with lipidomics were analyzed. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine levels decreased with the increase in slaughter weight (p < 0.01). There were 101 and 76 significantly different lipids (variable importance in projection > 1, p < 0.05) observed in positive and negative ion modes, respectively. Fatty acids in phosphatidylcholine, specifically oleic and linoleic acids, were significantly altered by slaughter weight (p < 0.05). Our findings provide new insights into the effect of slaughter weight on lipid profiles and highlight the comprehensive lipid profile of pork from heavier pigs. •Intramuscular fat content increased with increasing slaughter weight.•Lipid profiles from different slaughter weights were analyzed with lipidomics.•Lipids were changed by slaughter weight at class and molecule levels.•Increasing slaughter weight reduced phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine.•Oleic and linoleic acids in phosphatidylcholine were altered.