Diets with organic trace minerals Bioplex®) and yeast Protein (NuPro®) improved the water-holding capacity of pork loin meat

Abstract Text:

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of diets with organic trace minerals and yeast protein on pork meat quality during retail display. At 3 weeks of age, 324 pigs were weaned, stratified by weight and sex, and placed into one of six pens, which were randomly allocated to one of two treatments: (1) barley and wheat diets with inorganic trace minerals (CON) or (2) barley and wheat diets with organic trace minerals and yeast protein (OMN: Alltech, Inc.) Pigs received phase diets over 17 weeks. Sixteen pigs (100 ± 5 kg live weight) from each group, 8 replicates per treatment, were slaughtered for meat quality and tissue enzyme activity measurements. Tissue for enzyme and proteomic analysis was obtained from the 10^th rib, 2 h post-mortem, frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 °C. After carcasses were chilled at 4 °C for 24 h, boneless loin samples (IMPS 414) were removed, vacuum packaged, and frozen at -30 °C, for up to 1 month. Loins were thawed at 4 °C in the dark for 36 h, cut into 2.54 cm chops, overwrapped with an air-permeable polyvinylchloride film, and placed in a retail display cooler at 2 to 4 °C for up to 7d. Lipid oxidation (TBARS: mg MDA/ kg meat) was higher in CON samples, but only significantly (P < 0.05) on d4 of retail storage. On d0, protein carbonyl content was 21.5% lower (P < 0.05) in OMN samples compared to CON samples. Water-holding capacity, as measured by purge and cooking losses, was improved in OMN samples on d4 (P < 0.05) and 7 (P < 0.10). However, the shear force of OMN pork meat was only lower (P < 0.05) than CON samples on d0 (4.1 vs. 4.4 kgf). Catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities tended to be (P < 0.10) and were higher (P < 0.05) in OMN samples, respectively. Proteomic analysis revealed that triosephosphate isomerase, creatine kinase, and annexin A1 were overabundant in OMN samples compared to CON. Diets supplemented with organic trace minerals and yeast protein resulted in similar or improved meat quality attributes versus CON, possibly due to the greater enzyme activity and protein expression. OMN pork exhibited improved protein oxidative stability, and subsequently greater water-holding capacity of boneless pork loin chops throughout retail display.

Keywords: Proteomics, Organic trace minerals, Yeast protein