Effect of dietary linseed oil and α-tocopherol on pork tenderloin ( Psoas major) muscle

Abstract

The effect of linseed oil and α-tocopheryl acetate on the fatty acid composition and the susceptibility to oxidation of lipid fraction from pork tenderloin ( Psoas major) muscle has been studied. Muscles were obtained from animals fed on diets with the same ingredients excepting the oil source [sunflower (C), linseed (L) and linseed and olive (1/1, w/w) (LO)] and α-tocopherol [20 (C, L and LO) or 200 (LOE and LE) mg/kg diet]. The n-6/n-3 ratio in pork tenderloin was markedly modified by dietary linseed oil administration, which was due to the increase in the C18:3n-3 (and total n-3 fatty acids) and the decrease in the C18:2n-6 (and total n-6 fatty acids) contents ( P<0.05). The α-tocopherol content of tenderloin from batches LE and LOE was about 2.8 mg/kg of muscle, significantly greater ( P<0.05) than about 0.7 mg/kg muscle found in tenderloin from pigs receiving C, L and LO. Dietary supplementation with α-tocopheryl acetate markedly reduced tenderloin lipid oxidation from animals fed diets enriched in n-3 fatty acids (L or LO vs LE or LOE).