Muscle Fatty Acid Composition Research Articles

Effects of Different Lipid Sources on the Growth Performance and Muscle Fatty Acid Composition of Juvenile Anguilla marmorata

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different oils on growth performance of juvenile Anguilla marmorata. Five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic experimental diets were formulated to contain fish oil (FO), sunflower oil (SFO), peanut oil (PO), corn oil (CO) and soybean oil (SBO), respectively, as lipid sources each at an inclusion level of 50 g/kg. The diets were fed to apparent satiation for 10 weeks, twice a day to triplicate tanks of 30 fish each with an initial body weight 6.00±0.06 g. Weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) of fish fed the FO and SBO diets were markedly higher than those fed the CO diet, while no other difference in WG and SGR were observed among other treatments. Fish fed FO and SBO diets had better feed utilization than the other diet fish groups. Muscle of fish fed the FO diet had significantly higher levels of C20:5n-3 and n-3/n-6 ratio compared with fish fed vegetable oil (VO) diets, while muscle n-6 PUFA and C18:2n-6 content showed an opposite trend. The present results suggest that soybean oil is a suitable replacement for fish oil for Anguilla marmorata. The IJA appears exclusively as a peer-reviewed on-line open-access journal at http://www.siamb.org.il. To read papers free of charge, please register online at registration form. Sale of IJA papers is strictly forbidden.

Effects of different salinities on growth performance, survival, digestive enzyme activity, immune response, and muscle fatty acid composition in juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima)

The effects of salinity on survival, growth, special activity of digestive enzymes, nonspecific immune response, and muscle fatty acid composition were evaluated in the American shad (Alosa sapidissima). Juveniles of 35days after hatching were reared at 0 (control), 7, 14, 21, and 28ppt for 60days. At the end of the experiment, juvenile American shad presented higher survival and specific growth rate (SGR) in salinity group (7, 14, and 21ppt) than control group (P<0.05). The special activity of trypsin and chymotrypsin was highest in fish reared at 21ppt, while the highest lipase special activity was obtained in control group (P<0.05). The special activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lysozyme (LZM), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) showed significant increases in salinity group (14 and 21ppt) compared to control group (P<0.05). Lower muscle ash contents were detected in salinity group (14, 21, and 28ppt) than control group (P<0.05), while the contents of crude lipid and crude protein were significantly higher than control group (P<0.05). The level of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) exhibited a decreasing trend, while an increased level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was detected with the increase of salinity. Among the PUFA, the content of n-3 fatty acids in muscle tissue was found to be increasing with the increasing salinity, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Results indicate that appropriate increase in salinity was reasonable and beneficial for juvenile American shad culture after a comprehensive consideration, especially salinity range from 14 to 21ppt.

Dietary fish oil replacement by linseed oil: Effect on growth, nutrient utilization, tissue fatty acid composition and desaturase gene expression in silver barb (Puntius gonionotus) fingerlings.

Silver barb (Puntius gonionotus) is considered a promising medium carp species for freshwater aquaculture in Asia. This study in silver barb was carried out to evaluate the effects of total or partial substitution of dietary fish oil (FO) with linseed oil (LO) on growth, nutrient utilization, whole-body composition, muscle and liver fatty acid composition. Fish (12.1±0.4g of initial body weight) were fed for 60days with five experimental iso-proteinous, iso-lipidic and iso-caloric diets in which FO (control diet) was replaced by 33.3%, 50%, 66.7% and 100% LO. Final weight, weight gain, percent weight gain, SGR decreased linearly (p<0.001) with increasing LO levels in the diets. Dietary LO substitution levels did not significantly (p>0.05) affect the feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and whole body proximate composition. Furthermore, enhanced level of LO increased α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n3) and linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n6) and decreased eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n3) in muscle and liver. To understand the molecular mechanism of long chain-polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) biosynthesis, we cloned and characterized the fatty acyl Δ6 desaturase (Δ6 fad) cDNA and investigated its expression in various organs/tissues following replacement of FO with LO in the diet. The full-length Δ6 fad cDNA was 2056bp encoding 444 amino acids and was widely expressed in various organs/tissues. Replacement of FO with LO increased the expression of Δ6 fad mRNA in liver, muscle and intestine but no significant difference was found in the brain.

Feed type regulates the fatty acid profiles of golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus 1758)

ABSTRACTThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different feed types on the fatty acid profiles of golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus). Three feed types (pelleted feed, frozen squid and frozen fish) were assigned to triplicate groups of fish (146.22 ± 3.26 g) in a total of 9 floating cages (50 fish per cage). Analysis of the fatty acid profiles of the three feed types revealed that frozen squid had the highest levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), while the pelleted feed and frozen fish had lower levels of LC-PUFA, in particular eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). After three months of being fed a specific feed type, the fatty acid profiles of golden pompano muscle tissues were analysed. The highest levels of LC-PUFA were detected in fish fed with frozen squid. Golden pompano fed with frozen fish had intermediate levels of LC-PUFA content. The results suggest that the fatty acid composition of prey items can significantly affect the muscle fatty acid composition of the consumer. Muscle fatty acid composition could also be used as an indicator of diet type for golden pompano in the aquaculture industry.

A comparative analysis of lipid content and fatty acid composition in muscle, liver and gonads of Seriola fasciata Bloch 1793 based on gender and maturation stage

The fat content and fatty acid profile of commercially important Seriola fasciata (Lesser amberjack) was determined in samples of muscle, liver and gonads of both genders at pre-spawning and spawning stage. Results indicated that edible muscle of pre-spawning fish had high fat content (>8%), lowering to medium fat (4–8%) content during spawning stage. Livers and gonads presented more constant and relatively high lipid contents. Saturated fatty acids constituted the majority of the fatty acids, followed by monounsaturated fatty acids, with palmitic acid and oleic acid as the major fatty acid in all tissues. EPA and DHA content increased in spawning females and highest amounts were observed in the ovaries (222 and 1440mg/100g respectively). Livers presented lowest PUFAs content regardless of maturity stage and Σn−6/Σn−3 ratio was influenced by gender in this organ. Σn−3/Σn−6 was gender related during pre-spawning stage, increasing in spawning maturation stage. Results highlight variations in the nutritional value of the different tissues according to maturity stage and gender, emphasizing the need for consumer awareness of these changes.

The effect of different forms of sunflower products in diets for lambs and storage time on meat quality

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of sunflower products addition to lamb diets on lipid metabolism indices in blood plasma, carcass characteristics and longissimus dorsi muscle fatty acid (FA) composition. The experiment was performed on 24 Corriedale lambs weighing 22.9±1.89kg, assigned into 4 blocks of 6 animals each (according to the initial body weight), as a randomized complete block design. The control diet (CON) consisted of (g/kg dry matter; DM): meadow hay (188), ground corn (399), barley meal (223), soybean meal (136), sunflower meal (38.0) and vitamin-mineral premix (16.0). The experimental lambs additionally received different forms of sunflower products (g/kg DM): calcium salts of sunflower oil (CAS; 37.9), sunflower seeds (SFS; 68.6) or sunflower oil (SFO; 41.7). Furthermore, samples of longissimus dorsi muscle were frozen at −30°C to study the stability of FA during short- (1 month) and long-term (3 or 6 months) storage. Different forms of sunflower products did not affect lamb growth, carcass traits and chemical composition of longissimus dorsi muscle. Supplementing lambs with SFS diets negatively influenced lipid metabolism indices by increasing total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) in blood plasma, without affecting the TC concentration in meat. The inclusion of different forms of sunflower products decreased nutritive value of meat by lowering the concentration of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). For that reason, we do not recommend sunflower products for lamb nutrition.Short and long-term storage increased total FA, saturated (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and interestingly, PUFA concentrations in meat. Such modifications could be associated with hydrolytic changes occurring during refrigerated storage.

0765 Gene expression profiling and fatty acid composition in muscle during growth of Yanbian Yellow Cattle

0765 Gene expression profiling and fatty acid composition in muscle during growth of Yanbian Yellow Cattle

Effect of Various Monochromatic LED Light Colors on Performance, Blood Properties, Bone Mineral Density, and Meat Fatty Acid Composition of Ducks.

Two experiments determined the effects of various monochromatic light emitting diode (LED) light colors on performance, blood properties, bone mineral density, meat quality properties, and fatty acid composition of ducks. In Experiment 1, 720 1-d-old Cherry Valley ducklings were divided into four light treatments (six replicate pens/treatment; 30 ducks/pen) and were assigned to 1) yellow (Y), 2) green (G), 3) blue (B), or 4) control white (fluorescent lamps). In Experiment 2, six LED light treatments with four replicates were assigned as blue (PB), bright blue (BB), sky blue (SB), greenish blue (GB), green (PG), and fluorescent white as a control treatment. In Experiment 1, G light increased body weight and weight gain compared with the control and Y light during the first 21 d. During d 22–42, weight gain increased in the G and B treatments (P<0.034). Body weight and weight gain were increased under the G light treatment (P<0.036) in Experiment 2. Blood values were not influenced by the light treatments but serum cholesterol level decreased under the PB treatment (P<0.015) compared to PG treatment. Whole blood viscosity at a shear rate of 1 per second decreased significantly under the PG treatment than that of control W treatment. Ducks reared under GB and PG light had increased monounsaturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids by altering the fatty acid composition in muscle. These results suggest that monochromatic PG and GB light color increased growth performance, blood properties, and muscular fatty acid composition, while providing similar bone and meat properties in Cherry Valley ducks.

Fatty acid alterations in the detritivorous Prochilodus lineatus promoted by opportunistic feeding on sewage discharges in the Río de la Plata estuary.

Muscle fatty acid profiles and PCB contents of the detritivorous species Prochilodus lineatus and its diet (stomach contents, settling particles and sediments) were analysed from reference and polluted areas of the Paraná-Rio de la Plata basin, to evaluate the alterations produced by opportunistic feeding on sewage discharges. Overall muscle fatty acid composition was dominated by saturated and monounsaturated 16 and 18 carbon (18 C-FA) components with reduced long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA). Compared to sediments, settling particles and stomach contents were enriched in lipids and had a similar fatty acid composition. Opportunistic feeding on sewage detritus at Buenos Aires resulted in enhanced PCB and triglyceride accumulation, with higher proportions of 18 C-FA and lower proportions of 16:1 and LC-PUFA compared to fish from northern pristine reaches of the basin. Mid-Paraná showed intermediate values reflecting mixing of the North stock with migrating Buenos Aires P. lineatus identified by their lipid and contaminant profile. According to multivariate analyses, this geographical variation of fatty acid composition was strongly influenced by PCB concentration. Prochilodus lineatus assimilates the energy subsidy of sewage inputs through enhanced lipogenesis with dominant 18 C-FA and significant amounts of valuable LC-PUFA. This lipid alteration facilitates the bioaccumulation of PCBs which in turn may reinforce the adipogenic effect of sewage feeding.

Effects of dietary sesame oil on growth performance and fatty acid composition of muscle and tail fat in fattening Chaal lambs

This experiment was carried out to study the effect of sesame oil (SO) supplementation on performance and fatty acid composition of meat and tail fat in Iranian Chaal lambs. Eighteen lambs were fed one of the three isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets containing 0 (control), 25 and 50g SO per kilogram diet in a completely randomized design for 84 days. There were no substantial effects on animal performance and their carcass and non-carcass measurements, except for kidney fat weight which linearly increased (P=0.05) by increasing level of SO. Supplementation of SO was resulted a decrease in the molar ratio of ruminal propionate (P=0.01), whereas the ruminal acetate:propionate ratio (P=0.03), serum total cholesterol (P=0.01) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) were increased linearly (P<0.01). The inclusion of SO up to 50g/kg in diet linearly decreased concentrations of C15:0 (P=0.02, P<0.01), C16:0 (P=0.04, P=0.05), C16:1 (P=0.02, P=0.02), C17:0 (P=0.03, P<0.01) and C17:1 (P=0.02, P<0.01), and increased concentrations of C18:1 trans (P<0.01) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) C18:2 cis-9, trans-11 (P≤0.01) in both intramuscular and tail fat. Increasing level of SO in the diets had quadratic (P=0.05) effect on C18:0 and linearly increased (P=0.05) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and decreased saturated fatty acids (SFA) (P=0.03) as well as atherogenicity index (P=0.05) in tail fat. Our results indicated that increasing level of SO up to 50g per kg diet may improves tail fat and intramuscular CLA cis-9, trans-11 in young fattening Chaal lambs without affecting animal performance and with little effect on fat deposition.

Growth performance, muscle biochemical constituents, amino acid and fatty acid compositions of the giant freshwater prawn,Macrobrachium rosenbergii, fed with herb-incorporated diet

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of herbs such as Ocimum sanctum, Phyllanthus amarus and Solanum trilobatum on the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, postlarvae (PL). These herbs were powdered and incorporated at 5% with the basal diet separately and in a combination. The M. rosenbergii was fed with these feeds for a period of 90 days. Results indicated that significant (P 0.05) improvement in survival and growth performance when compared to individual supplementation. Hence, this study suggests that the herbs (O. sanctum, P. amarus and S. trilobatum) can be used as a supplementary feed for a sustainable development of freshwater prawn culture.

Organic practices and gender are effective strategies to provide healthy pork loin

This study evaluated the influence of husbandry (organic feed and management but not free-ranging vs. conventional) and sex (barrows vs. gilts) on pork meat quality. A total of 60 Longissimus thoracis pork muscle samples from different 3-way crossbred genotypes were chosen from 3 conventional and 2 organic pig farms. Technological meat quality was measured at 24 h post-mortem and muscle fatty acid content and composition was analysed by gas chromatography. The loin from organic pigs at 24 h of retail display had lower pH, but it had no detrimental effects on drip loss. All the International Commission on Illumination colour attributes except meat lightness differed between husbandry systems. Moisture and crude protein content were lower whereas intramuscular fat content was greater in organic than in conventional pork. Total saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and PUFA n-6 contents did not differ between husbandry systems, but total PUFA n-3 (mainly C18:3 n-3) were greater in organic than in conventional pork. Sex did not affect ultimate pH or meat colour attributes but barrows showed lower moisture and greater intramuscular fat than gilts. Total SFA and MUFA content were similar but all the PUFA (both n-6 and n-3) were lower in barrows than in gilts. These results suggest that some bioactive compounds from dietary origin, i.e., linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) content from dietary vegetable oils (soybean or olive olein), might be used to highlight the nutritive value of (not free-ranging) organic pork meat. In addition, gilts were leaner than barrows and showed a more favourable PUFA/SFA ratio.

Effects of different lipid sources on growth performance, body composition and lipid metabolism of bullfrog Lithobates catesbeiana

Fish oil is the most important lipid source, but its limited supply and high cost has forced the feed industry to investigate alternative lipid sources. The goal of this study was therefore to investigate effects of different lipid sources on growth performance, feed digestibility, body composition and lipid metabolism of bullfrog Lithobates catesbeiana. Bullfrogs were fed five diets containing 5.2% of either fish oil (FO), poultry fat (PF), pork lard (PL), soybean oil (SO) or palm oil (PO) for 8weeks. Growth and feed utilization were significantly (P<0.05) affected by different lipid sources. Weight gain and feed intake of bullfrogs fed diets with FO, SO and PO showed no significant difference. Body composition, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio of bullfrog were not affected by lipid sources. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of diets and test lipid ingredients were significantly (P<0.05) different among all treatments; the highest ADC for lipid was observed in FO and SO, and the lowest value was found in PF. Fatty acid profiles of muscle reflected the fatty acid composition of dietary lipid source. The activities of hepatic enzymes related to lipid metabolism were significantly affected (P<0.05) by lipid sources; the PF and PL groups had lower activities, compared to other groups. In conclusion, this study shows that fish oil can be totally replaced by SO or PO in bullfrog diets for a period of 8weeks without negatively affecting growth performance. These alternative lipid sources have no effect on the body composition of bullfrog, while the fatty acid composition of muscle could be modified by lipid sources. Moreover, lipid sources could affect hepatic lipid metabolism of bullfrog.

Genetic architecture of fatty acid composition in the longissimus dorsi muscle revealed by genome-wide association studies on diverse pig populations.

BackgroundFatty acid composition in muscle is an important factor that affects the nutritive value and taste of pork. To investigate the genetic architecture of fatty acid composition of pork, we measured fatty acid contents in longissimus dorsi muscle of 1244 pigs from three divergent populations and conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for fatty acid contents.ResultsWe detected 26 genome-wide significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) on eight chromosomes (SSC for Sus scrofa) for eight fatty acids. These loci not only replicated previously reported QTL for C18:0 on SSC14 and C20:0 on SSC16, but also included several novel QTL such as those for C20:1 on SSC7, C14:0 on SSC9, and C14:0, C16:0 and C16:1 on SSC12. Furthermore, we performed a meta-analysis of GWAS on five populations, including the three populations that were investigated in this study and two additional populations that we had previously examined. This enhanced the strength of the associations detected between fatty acid composition and several marker loci, especially for those for C18:0 on SSC14 and C20:0 on SSC16. The genes ELOVL5, ELOVL6, ELOVL7, FASN, SCD and THRSP, which have functions that are directly relevant to fatty acid metabolism, are proximal to the top associated markers at six significant QTL.ConclusionsThe findings improve our understanding of the genetic architecture of fatty acid composition in pork and contribute to further fine-map and characterize genes that influence fatty acid composition.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12711-016-0184-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of Canola and Safflower Oil Supplementation in Diets, on Growth Performance and Fatty Acid Composition of Russian Sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii Brandt, 1833)

The aim of this study was to determine the impact on growth performance and muscle fatty acid composition, of replacement of 50% fish oil (FO) with canola oil (CO) and safflower oil (SFO) in the diets of Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii). Two isoproteic (48%) and isolipidic (12%) diets were formulated combining two oil sources (50% fish oil + 50% canola oil or 50% fish oil + 50% safflower oil). The diets were fed to apparent satiation to triplicate groups for 15 weeks, twice a day. No significant differences were observed between the experimental groups fed CO and SFO diets in terms of weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio. The experimental groups fed CO and SFO diets did not show significant differences in terms of protein, lipid, ash, and moisture content in their muscle. There were no significant differences in muscle between total n-3 fatty acids but total n-6 fatty acids were significantly higher in SFO group (24.90%) than in CO group (21.30%). Total n-6 fatty acids were also higher than (20.43%) at the start. In conclusion, 50% replacement of FO by CO or SFO in Russian sturgeon diets had no negative effect on growth performance, feed efficiency and fatty acid composition in the muscle of this species.

Effect of dietary fish meal replacement by poultry by-product meal on muscle fatty acid composition and liver histology of fry of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Cichlidae)

Effect of dietary fish meal replacement by poultry by-product meal on muscle fatty acid composition and liver histology of fry of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Cichlidae)

Fatty Acid Composition of Muscle, Adipose Tissue and Liver from Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) Living in West Greenland.

Information about lipid content and fatty acid (FA) composition of muskoxen (Ovibos moschatos) edible tissues is very limited in comparison to other meat sources. Thus, this work aims to present the first in-depth characterization of the FA profile of meat, subcutaneous adipose tissue and liver of muskoxen living in West Greenland. Furthermore, we aim to evaluate the effect of sex in the FA composition of these edible tissues. Samples from muscle (Longissimus dorsi), subcutaneous adipose tissue and liver were collected from female and male muskoxen, which were delivered at the butchery in Kangerlussuaq (West Greenland) during the winter hunting season. The lipid content of muscle, adipose tissue and liver averaged 284, 846 and 173 mg/g of dry tissue, respectively. This large lipid contents confirms that in late winter, when forage availability is scarce, muskoxen from West Greenland still have high fat reserves, demonstrating that they are well adapted to seasonal feed restriction. A detailed characterization of FA and dimethylacetal composition of muskoxen muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue and liver showed that there are little differences on FA composition between sexes. Nevertheless, the 18:1cis-9 was the most abundant FA in muscle and adipose tissue, reaching 43% of total FA in muscle. The high content of 18:1cis-9 suggests that it can be selectively stored in muskoxen tissues. Regarding the nutritional composition of muskoxen edible tissues, they are not a good source of polyunsaturated FA; however, they may contribute to a higher fat intake. Information about the FA composition of muskoxen meat and liver is scarce, so this work can contribute to the characterization of the nutritional fat properties of muskoxen edible tissues and can be also useful to update food composition databases.

Associations of polymorphisms in bovine DGAT1, FABP4, FASN, and PPARGC1A genes with intramuscular fat content and the fatty acid composition of muscle and subcutaneous fat in Fleckvieh bulls

Allelic and genotypic distribution of polymorphisms in diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), fatty acid synthase (FASN), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PPARGC1A) genes were assessed in 679 Fleckvieh bulls. Single-locus genotype effects and the combined effect of the two polymorphisms within the FASN gene were evaluated for association with the intramuscular fat content and fatty acid profile determined in muscle and subcutaneous fat. The FASN (g.16024G>A) and FASN (g.17924A>G) polymorphisms were significantly associated mainly with C14:0, C16:0, and C18:1 n-9 concentrations as well as with the atherogenic index. The proportion of explained phenotypic variation markedly increased when the effect of a combination of the two polymorphisms within the FASN gene was tested, with the highest values of 8.6% and 14.8%, respectively, observed for C14:0 in muscle and subcutaneous fat. With a focus on improving the fatty acid composition of beef, the results of this study provide valuable information about the markers applicable in marker-assisted selection.

Spatial changes in fatty acids signatures of the great scallop Pecten maximus across the Bay of Biscay continental shelf

The spatial variability of food resources along continental margins can strongly influence the physiology and ecology of benthic bivalves. We explored the variability of food sources of the great scallop Pecten maximus, by determining their fatty acid (FA) composition along an inshore–offshore gradient in the Bay of Biscay (from 15 to 190m depth). The FA composition of the digestive gland showed strong differences between shallow and deep-water habitats. This trend was mainly driven by their content in diatom-characteristic fatty acids, which are abundant near the coast. Scallops collected from the middle of the continental shelf were characterized by higher contents of flagellate markers than scallops from shallow habitats. This could be related to a permanent vertical stratification in the water column, which reduced vertical mixing of waters, thereby enhancing organic matter recycling through the microbial loop. In the deeper water station (190m), FA compositions were close to the compositions found in scallops from shallow areas, which suggest that scallops could have access to the same resources (i.e. diatoms). Muscle FA composition was more indicative of the physiological state of scallops over this depth range, revealing contrasting reproductive strategies among the two coastal sites and metabolic or physiological adaptation at greater depth (e.g. structural and functional adjustments of membrane composition). This study therefore revealed contrasted patterns between shallow and deeper habitats for both P. maximus muscle and digestive gland tissues. This emphasizes the variability in the diet of this species along its distribution range, and stresses the importance of analyzing different tissues for their FA composition in order to better understand their physiology and ecology.

Phenotypic Correlations of Backfat Thickness with Meatiness Traits, Intramuscular Fat, &lt;i&gt;Longissimus&lt;/i&gt; Muscle Cholesterol and Fatty Acid Composition in Pigs

The aim of the present study was to determine the phenotypic correlations of backfat thickness with meatiness traits and intramuscular fat, cholesterol and fatty acid composition in the longissimus muscle of pigs. For this study, 60 barrows and 60 gilts (Pietrain × Duroc boars and Polish Large White crossbred sows) were slaughtered at 100 kg bodyweight. Lean meat percentage (LMP), loin muscle area (LMA), backfat thickness measured at five locations and average backfat thickness (ABF), and intramuscular fat (IMF), cholesterol (CHLM) and fatty acid composition in the longissimus muscle were determined. Phenotypic correlations of individual backfat thickness measured at five locations and ABF with LMP, LMA and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including C18 :2n-6, were negative and moderate to high, while with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), including C16:1 and C18:1 were positive and very low. Correlations of individual backfat thickness and ABF with saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and C16:0 were positive (0.29 to 0.56), while for C18:0 were low (0.10 to 0.23). Correlations of IMF and CHLM with LMP, LMA and PUFAs, especially C18:2n-6, were negative and high, while with SFAs and MUFAs were positive and moderate to high. Correlation between IMF and CHLM was high (0.74). The results of the present study indicate that increased IMF content results a significant decrease in carcass meatiness (LMP and LMA) and of PUFAs content and an increase in backfat thickness and contents of SFAs, MUFAs and CHLM. Keywords: Intramuscular Chemical Compositions, Muscle, MUFA, PUFA, Swine