Meat quality from pigs fed tomato processing waste

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Food Science
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Dietary strategies are explored to enhance meat quality and sustainability in livestock.
• Tomato processing waste offers a potential feed ingredient due to its nutrient profile.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of dietary tomato processing waste on the meat quality of Nero Siciliano pigs.
• To assess potential benefits and drawbacks of incorporating tomato waste into swine diets.

Main Methods:

• Sixteen pigs were divided into two groups: a control group (CON) fed a conventional diet and a treatment group (TOM) fed a diet with 15% tomato waste replacing corn for 86 days.
• Meat quality parameters, including fatty acid composition, retinol deposition, and oxidative stability, were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The tomato waste diet (TOM) did not affect growth performance or backfat color.
• TOM diet reduced intramuscular fat, saturated fatty acids (SFA), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA).
• TOM diet increased polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), n-3 PUFA, n-6 PUFA, retinol deposition, and the n-6:n-3 ratio in meat.

Conclusions:

• Dietary tomato processing waste can be incorporated at 15% in swine diets without adverse effects on growth or meat quality.
• This inclusion positively modulates fatty acid profiles and increases retinol content in pork.
• Further research could explore optimal inclusion levels and long-term effects.