Abstract
In this study, control chevon (goat meat) and omega-3 fatty acid enriched chevon were obtained from goats fed a 50% oil palm frond diet and commercial goat concentrate for 100 days, respectively. Goats fed the 50% oil palm frond diet contained high amounts of α-linolenic acid (ALA) in their meat compared to goats fed the control diet. The chevon was then used to prepare two types of pellets (control or enriched chevon) that were then fed to twenty-male-four-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10 in each group) for 12 weeks to evaluate their effects on plasma cholesterol levels, tissue fatty acids, and gene expression. There was a significant increase in ALA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the muscle tissues and liver of the rats fed the enriched chevon compared with the control group. Plasma cholesterol also decreased (P < 0.05) in rats fed the enriched chevon compared to the control group. The rat pellets containing enriched chevon significantly upregulated the key transcription factor PPAR-γ and downregulated SREBP-1c expression relative to the control group. The results showed that the omega-3 fatty acid enriched chevon increased the omega-3 fatty acids in the rat tissues and altered PPAR-γ and SREBP-1c genes expression.
Highlights
Researchers had succeeded in feeding goats with linseed oil [1] and polyphenol rich oil palm frond (OPF) diets which reduced microbial biohydrogenation in the rumen [2] and producing chevon containing increased levels of α-linolenic acid (ALA, conjugated linoleic acid 3.18 α-Linolenic acid (C18):3n-3)
There was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) higher amount of amounts of α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the omega-3 enriched chevon diet when compared to the CON diet
One of the objectives was to bring out the differences in pathways through which the ALA enriched meat may exert their beneficial effects on lipid metabolism
Summary
Researchers had succeeded in feeding goats with linseed oil [1] and polyphenol rich oil palm frond (OPF) diets which reduced microbial biohydrogenation in the rumen [2] and producing chevon (goat meat) containing increased levels of α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3n-3). It remained to be determined whether consuming this “modified” chevon containing the higher levels of α-linolenic acid would in turn, increase the levels of the omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) in the tissues of the consumer, which could produce measurable positive health benefits. Making foods rich in ALA can help increase the level of this FA in the diet
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