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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 150kg 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.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of age on lipid content and composition of lamb meat. Thirty suckling ram lambs of the Italian Merino breed, reared according to a traditional semi-extensive management, were slaughtered at 30, 50 and 70 days of age to evaluate total lipids and fatty acid profile in three different muscles: longissimus dorsi (LD), semimembranosus (SM) and quadriceps femoris (QF). Age did not dramatically modify lipid content and composition, even if effects of nutritional interest were observed. Meat from lambs slaughtered at 70 days of age presented the best fatty acid profile, because they had the highest PUFA content and ratio to SFA, as well as the lowest thrombogenic index. The SM muscle had better nutritional quality than the LD and the QF, as a result of a higher PUFA percentage and PUFA/SFA ratio, together with a lower thrombogenic index. These characteristics were also associated with slightly lower amounts of intramuscular lipids and SFA.

Various factors (weight, sex, diet and breed) influence meat lamb fatty acid composition. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the lipid profile in two different lamb types. Sixty crossbred lambs (Ile de France×Pagliarola and Gentile di Puglia×Sopravissana) were used to determine cholesterol, lipid content and fatty acid profile of Longissimus dorsi, Semimembranosus and Gluteobiceps muscles. Moreover, the effect of vitamin E treatment in vivo on propensity of the lamb meat to lipoperoxidation was assessed. In both crossbreeds total muscle lipids ranged between 2.4 and 4.0 mg/100 g. In the Ile de France×Pagliarola lambs a lower percentage of saturated fatty acids and a low atherogenic index were found. The vitamin E treatment reduced significantly the lipoperoxidation, without difference between the two crossbreeds.

The effects of vitamin E (all-rac-α-tocopheryl acetate) supplementation on meat color and oxidative stability of muscle lipids in New Zealand White rabbits was determined. Twenty animals received pelleted diet (containing 60 mg/kg α-tocopheryl acetate) and 10 of these (treatment group) received drinking water containing 100 mg α-tocopheryl acetate/L for 15 days before slaughter. The α-tocopherol content of the longissimus lumborum muscle (LL) was higher (5.66 vs 1.65 μg/g) in the supplemented group than the control group (p<0.001). The surface redness (a*) of the muscle showed a significant time×treatment effect (p<0.001), decreasing more in the control group over 11 days of storage in the dark at +2.5°C. The lightness (L*) showed a tendency (p=0.06) for a treatment×time effect. No effect of vitamin supplementation was observed on yellowness (b*). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in muscle, an index of oxidative stability, were lower in the treated than control group throughout storage (p<0.01 for treatment effect). Vitamin E supplementation appears to be an effective way to improve the color and lipid stability of rabbit meat.