Original research articleNutrient oxidation in pork loin is influenced by feed supplementation and packing methods

- Fodder with linseed oil, vitamin E and Se has impact on quality of packed pork loin.
- Vacuum packages protect stored pork loins against protein oxidation.
- Content of free SH group is connected with activity of SOD and vitamin C.

Processes of oxidation in the stored pork loins can be delayed by the addition of bioactive compounds to pig fodder as well as used type of anaerobic packing. The effects of supplementation of pig fodder with linseed oil and/or vitamin E and/or Se were analysed for fresh, unpacked loins and for the vacuum packed or packed under modified atmosphere (80% CO2, 20% N2) loins stored 12 days. The measurements of lipid peroxidation, loss of sulfhydryl groups, superoxide dismutase assays and vitamin C assays were performed. It was shown that, in terms of oxidation, vacuum packing of the pork loins is more protective for proteins than packing in the modified atmosphere. Furthermore, clustering for the stored pork loins the data connected with oxidation of lipids and proteins showed that the samples obtained from pigs fed a basic fodder (C) were closely related to the samples from pigs fed a fodder with addition of linseed oil, vitamin E and selenium (L1). In these groups no statistically significant differences in the level of malondialdehyde, an indicator of lipid oxidation, were observed between fresh meat and meat stored 12 days at 4 °C.