Effect of the period of feeding tuna oil to fattening pigs on the quality of Chinese-style sausage

Abstract

The effect of the period of feeding tuna-oil supplemented diets to swine diet on Chinese sausage quality was investigated in 80 pigs (40 barrows and 40 gilts). There were 4 feeding regimes namely: Group 1, control; Group 2, 1% tuna oil in diet fed from 30-100 kg; Group 3, 3% tuna in diet fed from 30-60 kg; Group 4, 3% tuna in diet fed from 80-100 kg. Two genders (barrows and gilts) were equally represented. Chinese-style sausage was produced from lean meat and fat from Boston (upper) shoulder. Sausages produced from tuna-oil fed pigs had higher fat content and TBA numbers than those produced from control pigs groups, while its moisture content and cholesterol concentration were lower. No mode of tuna oil supplementation had significant effects on sensory properties, and no sample was found in having off-flavour or fishy odour. This shows that Chinese-style sausages can be produced from tuna-oil fed pigs without the risk of refusal by consumers for their specific sensory properties. Differences among sausages from tuna oil groups were much smaller than that to the controlled sausages. However, TBA value was lower. Therefore shelf life was longer in sausages produced from pigs fed the tuna oil exclusively in the beginning of fattening. Further investigations perhaps have to show whether this is not the result of a lower content of the desired long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids.