Lipid composition of meat and backfat from Casertana purebred and crossbred pigs reared outdoors

The study aimed to evaluate, with regard to the human nutrition, the lipid profile of meat and backfat from gilts and barrows of the Italian autochthonous genotype Casertana and its crossbreed (Casertana × Large White) slaughtered at two different live weights. Meat from the Casertana cross was nutritionally comparable to that from the purebreed and both would be considered healthy, irrespective of sex and weight, due to the relatively low levels of intramuscular lipids and cholesterol. Muscle cholesterol was considerably lower in the heavy pigs than in the light ones and, as weight increased, cholesterol decreased but only in gilts. Females supply meat with higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and slightly lower saturated fatty acids (SFA) respect to barrows and, thus, higher PUFA/SFA ratio. Casertana crossbreds can represent a good alternative to pure Casertana, mainly in the production of Colonnata lard, due to the better fatty acid profile of the subcutaneous adipose tissue. From the nutritional point of view, the optimal slaughtering weight was about 150 kg for both genotypes. Heavy pigs, compared to the light ones, produced loin with lower atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes, lower SFA/unsaturated fatty acids ratio, and higher PUFA/SFA ratio.