Potential for Pork as a Nutraceutical

Nutrition Update
Volume 8 No.3, November 1997

Recently there has been an increased public awareness of nutraceuticals...foods consumed because they contain compounds which have health benefits. One such group of compounds are the omega-3 (w3) fatty acids, whose increased consumption is associated with a reduced incidence of heart disease and a lower risk of stroke. Increasing the consumption of foodstuffs rich in w3 fatty acids, such as marine and vegetable oils, has been promoted for its potential health benefits. In the past few years there has been the development of w3 enriched eggs for commercial production. This has led to the investigation of other sources of elevated w3 fatty acids for human consumption, such as w3 enriched pork products. Non-ruminants, such as pigs, can easily absorb and accumulate dietary fatty acids. Pork enriched with w3 fatty acids can be produced by feeding pigs diets containing marine or vegetable sources of w3 fatty acids. In addition, supplementing sow diets with w3's is being studied as a means to improving reproductive performance.

Several recent reports have been published regarding the successful w3 enrichment of pork using flaxseed or fishmeal/fish oil (1,2). Commercial production of w3 enriched pork products can offer consumers an alternative to increasing their consumption of w3 fatty acids.

Meat from pigs fed flaxseed, a rich source of a-linolenic acid (ALA), contains elevated levels of this w3 fatty acid. Conversion of ALA to the more beneficial longer chain w3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is limited. A more direct means to increase EPA and DHA is through dietary fish oil or fishmeal. However, taint becomes a problem for rations and pork containing fish oil or fishmeal due to fatty acid degradation. Withdrawal of the fish products from the diets can reduce the taint without a decrease in EPA and DHA in the pork. Flaxseed does not impart such adverse flavours , however carcass quality can be reduced by high inclusion rates (>10%) in the diet.

Further research is required on ration formulation and feeding strategies before cost-effective production of w3 enriched pork is successful. A blend of vegetable and marine sources (such as flaxseed and fishmeal) and appropriate antioxidants may provide the optimal formula. Also, any product developed will need to undergo rigorous consumer evaluation to ensure it can deliver the desired benefits. Based on the current state of knowledge, producing w3 enriched pork products appears to be a potential value-added alternative commodity for the swine producer.

References:

1. Specht-Overholt, S. et. al. 1997. J. Anim. Sci. 75:2335-2343.

2. Howe, P. 1997. in International Conference on the Return of w3 Fatty Acids into the Food Supply: Land-Based Animal Food Products and Their Health Effects. Bethesda: NIH. 14.

Prepared by: Ian R. Seddon, Ph.D.

Contact:	David Hunt or Ron Bazylo
	Farm Production Extension Specialist - Swine
	Livestock Knowledge Centre
	Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives