Abstract
It is often overlooked that even food production is linked to the ecology of plants and animals. Living organisms respond to environmental short-and long-term variability: acknowledging this may help in the ultimate goal of valorizing a territory/product. We investigated acorns of the two main Quercus species of the Portuguese Montado, a main feed of the renown black Iberian pig. We tested their responses to an aridity gradient by morphological parameters and isotopic signature. Q. rotundifolia and Q. suber acorns did not differ morphologically, even if a higher variability in all parameters was observed in acorns of Q. suber. According to the site-specific Aridity Index, correlations are indicative to higher weight and length only in Q. suber acorns from more arid sites. As for isotopic composition, there were no differences in nitrogen or carbon (δ15N and δ13C) between the two species. However, combining the samples and testing for association with the Aridity Index, we found that more arid sites lead to a 15N enrichment. This result, combined with the positive correlation between AI and acorns length, support the use of acorns as a tool, their isoscapes of nitrogen being a stepping stone for the provenance of the black Iberian pig.
Highlights
Consumer demand for food quality is growing along with concerns related to geographic origin, health, and sustainable production
Focus is on the analysis of the fatty acid isotopic composition comparing the 13 C/12 C ratio of subcutaneous adipose tissue lipids, as it is most influenced by the animals’ diet. Notwithstanding, these studies [19,20,21,22,23] clearly demonstrate the possibility of distinguishing between Iberian pigs raised traditionally and animals fed with other food resources based on the variabilities of δ13 C of plant products
Our results considered all the most common morphological traits (Table 1), of the two Quercus species (Q. rotundifolia (QR) and Q. suber (QS))
Summary
Consumer demand for food quality is growing along with concerns related to geographic origin, health, and sustainable production. Focus is on the analysis of the fatty acid isotopic composition (by Gas Chromatography-Combustion-Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry, GC-C-IRMS) comparing the 13 C/12 C ratio of subcutaneous adipose tissue lipids, as it is most influenced by the animals’ diet Notwithstanding, these studies [19,20,21,22,23] clearly demonstrate the possibility of distinguishing between Iberian pigs raised traditionally (only on acorns and grass during the “montanheira” period) and animals fed with other food resources (most commonly a mixture of maize, barley, and soy, possibly with added fats) based on the variabilities of δ13 C of plant products. This information will add an extra-value to a future employment of remaining acorns for other dietary products
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