Source of dietary iron and zinc affects meat quality by altering muscular fatty acid profile, flavor substances, and metabolomics in finishing pigs

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of dietary iron and zinc supplementation from inorganic (CON) and organic sources (ORG) on growth performance, meat quality, fatty acid profile, and metabolome in pigs. Growth performance was unaffected by the treatments, but carcass traits such as loin muscle area, hot carcass weight, and yield in the ORG group were higher than in the CON group. The ORG supplements improved the quality (color, pH, shear force, marbling scores, IMF, IMP, and zinc) of raw meat and sensory traits (odor, flavor, tenderness, juiciness, and soup freshness) of cooked meat. Postmortem time significantly affected meat quality such as L*, a*, b*, and pH, as well as interacted with diet to affect pH of the LT. The ORG supplements altered fatty acid composition of pork. The results indicated that organic iron and zinc improved carcass traits, pork quality, and eating acceptability by increasing flavor substances and by altering fatty acid profile and metabolome.