Abstract
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is used worldwide as a flavor enhancer. Its effects on body weight and fat content are debated. Using the pig model in which animals were fed normal- or high-fat isocaloric diets, the present study tested whether dietary MSG modified body weight, relative amount of carcass fat, expression of genes related to fatty acid metabolism, and carcass lipid composition. A total of 32 growing pigs were randomly assigned to four dietary treatment groups: normal-fat diet, normal-fat diet+30g/kg MSG, high-fat diet, or high-fat diet+30g/kg MSG. There were 8 animals per treatment group. After a 30-day feeding period, body weight and carcass composition were measured. The expression of genes related to lipid metabolism in longissimus dorsi muscle and white adipose tissue was also assessed. Our results showed that MSG supplementation given with either normal- or high-fat diet did not affect body weight and the relative amount of total carcass fat. However, MSG supplementation in pigs fed the normal- or high fat diet modified the lipid content and fatty acid profiles in skeletal muscles. MSG modified differently the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism in the muscles and white adipose tissue of animals depending on the normal- or high-fat diet used. In addition, the expression of myosin heavy chains in skeletal muscle fibers was modified by MSG supplementation in both normal- and high-fat groups of animals. Collectively, our results indicate that MSG supplementation is not obesogenic but differentially regulates gene expression related to lipid metabolism, lipid composition and muscle fiber composition in the skeletal muscle of pigs.
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