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It has been observed that improving the genetics of crossbred pigs to obtain a higher growth rate and lean percentage compromises their pork quality. However, consumer demand for pork with a bright red color, juiciness, tenderness, and good flavor is increasing. Meat color, mainly influenced by deoxymyoglobin (which shows a purplish-red hue), oxymyoglobin (which shows a bright red color), and methmioglobin (which shows a brownish tint), can be positively influenced by converting methmioglobin to deoxymyoglobin and oxymyoglobin through enzymatic or antioxidant interventions, such as vitamin C and niacinamide. Nutritional regulation and strategic feeding approaches are recognized as effective methods to improve pork quality. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the influence of supplementing the diet of growing pigs with glycerin and/or a mixture of vitamin C and niacinamide on carcass traits and pork quality. For that aim, eighty-four weaned piglets with an initial average body weight of 20.35 ± 2.14 kg were assigned, at random, to four groups for a 103-day feeding experiment: control; glycerin-supplemented group; vitamin C and niacinamide-supplemented group; and glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide-supplemented group. At the end of the experiment, three pigs/group were randomly selected and slaughtered, and samples were collected for analysis.
The results indicated that supplementing crossbred pigs with glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide simultaneously increased the redness, glycerol content and myristoleic acid content in the longissimus dorsi and tended to increase the level of flavor amino acids, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and erucic acid, as well as the percentage and density of type I myofibers in the longissimus dorsi and the semimembranosus muscle. Glycerin had an influence on the erucic acid content in the longissimus dorsi and the semimembranosus muscle, and vitamin C and niacinamide had an interaction effect on the redness of the longissimus dorsi.
To conclude, glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide supplementation in the diet of crossbred pigs improved the color, flavor and nutritional value of pork, which contributed to an increased intent to purchase this product.
Deng L, Hao S, Zou W, Wei P, Sun W, Wu H, Lu W, He Y. Effects of Supplementing Growing–Finishing Crossbred Pigs with Glycerin, Vitamin C and Niacinamide on Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality. Animals. 2023; 13(23): 3635. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13233635