Effect of dietary conjugated linoleic acid in combination with monounsaturated fatty acids on the meat composition and quality traits of dry-cured loin

Three levels (0%, 1% and 2%) of an enriched conjugated linoleic acid oil (CLA) were combined with two levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (low −19% average and high −39% average) for pig feeding. Composition, weight losses, lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid test, TBARs), change in the fatty acid content of the lipid fractions and sensory analysis of dry-cured loin as affected by dietary CLA, MUFA and CLA × MUFA interaction were studied. CLA and CLA × MUFA did not affect moisture and intramuscular fat content of dry-cured loin, weight losses during the processing, changes in the content of most fatty acids from lipid fractions and sensory traits. CLA and MUFA supplementation led to lower TBARs values (1.3 mg MDA/kg sample for 0% CLA and 0.9 mg MDA/kg sample for 2% CLA; 1.2 mg MDA/kg sample for low MUFA diets and 0.9 mg MDA/kg sample for high MUFA diets), the highest TBARs values being detected for 0% CLA-low MUFA diets [1.5 mg MDA/kg sample]. The combination of dietary CLA with different MUFA levels in pig diets did not affect most composition and quality traits of dry-cured loin. Dietary CLA and MUFA seemed to lead to lower lipid oxidation in this product.