Sterols, Sterol Oxides and CLA in Typical Meat Products from Pigs Fed with Different Diets

Abstract

The effect on sterol stability and CLA content in meats from pigs fed with diets having different contents of oleic and linoleic acid was studied, considering typical Italian products seasoned with or without nitrates and ascorbates. Results showed that the increase of oleic acid in the diet leads to seasoned products with higher contents of oleic acid and lower content of linoleic acid and CLA. A different partition of sterols and sterol oxides was observed in the fat and in the muscle of all the products, with slightly higher amounts of cholesterol and sterol oxides in the muscle. Meat products seasoned in presence of ascorbates showed slightly lower amounts of sterol oxides in respect to those added with nitrates. The statistical treatment of the data showed that fatty acids distribution allow to discriminate between meats from different diets.