Meat Quality and Lipid Oxidation of Pork after Dietary Supplementation with Oregano Essential Oil

Abstract

Abstract: This study was carried out to determine the effects of diet supplementation with oregano (Lippia graveolens) essential oil (OEO) on meat quality and lipid oxidation in swine. A total of 48 pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire) was randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups during the finishing period. Each group was fed a commercial diet supplemented with either 0 ppm (control), 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm or 3000 ppm OEO. Pigs were killed at 110 kg and meat quality was assessed over a 16 day storage period. With storage time, the water holding capacity of female meat increased (P 0.05) and the drip loss of both male and female meat decreased (P 0.001); OEO did not have a significant (P 0.05) effect on either factor. Lipid oxidation of meat from the 1000 ppm group was lower than that of control samples at any storage period. The addition of 1000 ppm OEO to pig diet could be recommended for the production of meat of good quality and minimum lipid oxidation. Key words:Pigs Feed Additives Meat Traits Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS) Fresh Meat Oregano Essential Oil