Influence of dietary conjugated linoleic acids and vitamin E on meat quality, and adipose tissue in rabbits

• Published in: Meat science Vol. 76; no. 1; pp. 19 - 28
• Main Authors: Corino, C., Lo Fiego, D.P., Macchioni, P., Pastorelli, G., Di Giancamillo, A., Domeneghini, C., Rossi, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adipocyte histometry; adipocytes; adipose tissue; age at slaughter; alpha-tocopherol; animal feeding; Biological and medical sciences; carcass weight; conjugated linoleic acid; Conjugated linoleic acids; dietary fat; fatty acid composition; feed conversion; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; longissimus dorsi; Meat and meat product industries; Meat quality; New Zealand White; nutrient partitioning; Nutrition; Rabbit; rabbit meat; rabbits; slaughter weight; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vitamin E; vitamin supplements; Rabbit; Conjugated linoleic acids; Adipocyte histometry; Nutrition; Vitamin E; Meat quality; Adipocyte; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Meat product; Lipids; E-Vitamins; Linoleic acid; Meat; n-6 fatty acid; Quality
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2006.10.007

Eighty New Zealand White rabbits, age 55 days, half male and half female, were randomly assigned to one of four diets in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The diets contained 0% or 0.5% CLA, and 60 or 240 mg/kg α-Tocopheryl acetate. Forty-eight rabbits were slaughtered at age 92 days. Growth performances and carcass weight were higher ( P < 0.05) in 240 mg/kg of α-tocopheryl acetate-fed rabbits. Fat and CLA isomers content of Longissimus Lumborum (LL) muscle was higher ( P < 0.05) in CLA-fed rabbits than control. Fatty acid composition of LL muscle was modified ( P < 0.05) and oxidative stability was increased ( P < 0.001) by both dietary treatments. CLA increased ( P < 0.05) triglyceride, total cholesterol and glucose levels in plasma. Adipocytes in interscapular and perirenal fat in the 240 mg/kg α-tocopheryl acetate and 0.5% CLA groups were larger in size but lesser in number than in 60 mg/kg α-tocopheryl acetate and no CLA rabbit ( P < 0.01).