Abstract
Simple SummaryThe recognition of the role of food in the improvement and preservation of health is receiving more and more attention among consumers, especially in developed countries. Fats from red meats are considered quite unhealthy because of their high levels of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids. Healthier lipid profiles of red meats can be achieved by a proper feed composition of animals, but other factors, such as breed, sex, and live weight, are able to affect the nutritional properties of meats. This investigation aimed to evaluate the effect of breed (Bergamasca, Italian Merino, and Sopravissana) on the fatty acid composition of invisible (intramuscular) and visible (subcutaneous) fats of light lambs reared in Central Italy transhumant farms. They recently gained a Protected Geographical Indication label (European Union, Commission Implementing Regulation No. 475/2013), as ”Agnello del Centro Italia”. It is an income opportunity for local farms that passes through the nutritional valorization of lamb meat. The indices of nutritional quality of fats have showed that the meat of Italian Merino and Sopravissana lambs had better nutritional quality than the Bergamasca breed.Lamb meat is the main product of Central Italy transhumant farms, where lambs are traditionally reared with their mothers on pastures and are supplemented with concentrates and/or hay from day 20–30 until slaughter. However, few data are available on the fatty acid (FA) composition of unweaned lambs reared by extensive systems in Central Italy. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of breed (Bergamasca, Italian Merino, and Sopravissana) on the FA composition of intramuscular (longissimus lumborum, LL) and subcutaneous (SC) fats of light lambs. Statistical analysis showed that breed had effect only on some FAs in LL muscle fat (C18:0, C20:0, C14:1, C16:1, C17:1, C18:3 n-3, trans and conjugated linoleic acid isomers) and in SC adipose tissue (C21:0, C16:1, C18:1, C20:4 n-6, C20:5 n-3, C18:1 trans isomers). Gas chromatography data in combination with a chemometric approach could have some potential to discriminate among breeds. Indices of nutritional quality of the lipids suggested that the meat of Italian Merino and Sopravissana lambs might have better nutritional quality than Bergamasca; further studies, involving a greater number of animals, are needed to confirm these early results.
Highlights
In Mediterranean countries, consumers prefer light lambs [1], giving importance to the quantity and to the quality of fat, which is defined by the levels and proportions of fatty acidsAnimals 2020, 10, 535; doi:10.3390/ani10030535 www.mdpi.com/journal/animals (FAs)
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of breed (Bergamasca, Italian Merino, and Sopravissana) on the FA composition of intramuscular (IM) fat of the longissimus lumborum (LL)
The intramuscular FA contents of the present study were comparable to those of Italian Merino light lambs reared according to a similar production system [33], and of some other Italian sheep breeds slaughtered at similar age, such as Apulian [34], Appenninica [20], Leccese, and Comisana [35]
Summary
In Mediterranean countries, consumers prefer light lambs [1], giving importance to the quantity and to the quality of fat, which is defined by the levels and proportions of fatty acidsAnimals 2020, 10, 535; doi:10.3390/ani10030535 www.mdpi.com/journal/animals (FAs). The feeding system has been shown to be one of the main factors influencing the FA composition of lamb [8], since the use of grass [2,9] or different supplements rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) [10] can modify the relative content of CLA and n-3 PUFA [11,12,13]. Grass feeding and grazing can increase the concentrations of CLA, n-3 PUFA, and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in lamb meat [9,14,15]. According to Juárez et al [16], the production system (i.e., the combination of breed and diet) is the main factor to explain variations in the FA composition of light lambs. It is known that the FA composition varies between different lamb fat depots [17], especially between intramuscular and subcutaneous fat, since each breed has specific genetic characteristics and production systems [3,18,19]
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