Comparison between Mangalitsa and Mangalitsa x Duroc hybrids meat quality.

Quality of pork is important in food industry and in health of the population due to protein and fat structure, which is correlated with genotype and food intake. The aim of this study was to establish the difference between meat quality of Mangalitsa pure breed and Mangalitsa x Duroc hybrids, based on the carcass traits and chemical composition. The main parameters were dry matter, intramuscular fat, crude protein and fatty acids level in muscle tissues (Longissimus dorsis and Psoas major). Our results indicated that Mangalitsa x Duroc hybrids provide better parameters of carcass traits in comparison with Mangalitsa pure breed. Concerning the chemical composition, better values of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), PUFA/SFA ratio (P/S) and n-6/n-3 PUFA were observed in the case of Mangalitsa meat. We also calculated health related lipid indices including hypocholesterolemic/Hypercholesterolemic ratio (h/H), atherogenic index (AI) and thrombogenic index (TI) in order to establish the differences between Mangalitsa and Mangalitsa x Duroc hybrids meat quality. In conclusion, Mangalitsa provide better meat quality, but Mangalitsa x Duroc hybrids could be an alternative way to produce good quality of pork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]