The effect of age on the fatty acids composition in wild boar (Sus scrofa) hunted in the southwest region of Slovakia

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse the fatty acid profile of wild boar (Sus scrofa) meat. The samples were obtained from the mountain Tríbeč (southwest part of the Slovak Republic). A total of 36 samples in 3 age categories of meat were analysed. The effect of age on the intramuscular (IMF) fat content was analysed. The highest (P < 0.05) IMF content was found in the samples from the youngest animals (18.07%), the lowest (P < 0.05) in the sub-adult animals. Significant (P < 0.05) differences were found in palmitic acid (C16:0). Significant decrease of heptadecanoic acid (C17:0) as an effect of age was analysed in the samples. Of the important fatty acids, the most abundant in all age categories of wild boar were oleic (C18:1 cis 9), palmitic (C16:0), and linolelaidic acid (C18:2 cis n6). Differences in the content of mentioned acids were significant (P < 0.05). In α-linolenic and γ-linoleic acids, non-significant (P > 0.05) differences were detected. Significant differences (P < 0.05) between age categories were found in cis-11-eicosenoic (C20:1 n9) and cis-11,14-eicosadienoic acids (C20:2 n6). Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found in PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids), MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids), and SFA (saturated fatty acids) concentrations. The highest PUFA content was typical for the samples from the oldest animals, MUFA from the sub-adults, and SFA from the youngest wild boar. More significant results were observed in the normalized data with the factor component scores. The wild boar fatty acid profile is significantly affected by age.