The effect of dietary magnesium oxide supplementation on fatty acid composition, antioxidative capacity and meat quality of heterozygous and normal malignant hyperthermia (MH) pigs

Abstract. The objective of this research was to examine the impact of supplementation with magnesium oxide (MgO) on the fatty acid composition, antioxidative capacity and quality parameters, determined on 24 pork longissimus muscles (LD). Crossbred pigs equal for halothane genotypes (12 normal, nonmutant – NON, 12 heterozygous, monomutant – MON) and sex, were fed a diet supplemented with MgO (3.6 g magnesium daily) for 5 days prior to the slaughter. There was a tendency of higher intramuscular fat, a significant higher concentration of C17:0 and C18:2n-6, C22:5n-3 and the total amount of n-3 fatty acids (P < 0.05) in LD of supplemented pigs. A higher resistance to in vitro stimulation of peroxidation in muscle with MgO supplementation was observed. Increasing dietary level of MgO resulted in higher concentration (P < 0.05) of magnesium in plasma. Genotype had significant effects on some quality indicators . Pigs fed the MgO supplemented diet had higher muscle pH compared to pigs fed the control diet. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were received between control heterozygous pigs and MgO normal pigs. The LD of pigs fed diets supplemented with MgO had lower percentage of drip loss compared to pigs fed the control diet. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found between heterozygotes control group and the other three groups. In conclusion MgO supplementation could not only improve post mortem pH rate breakdown and water holding capacity but also the antioxidant stability.