Effect of dietary glycolytic inhibitors on pork quality

Four studies were performed to determine the effectiveness of short term feeding of several dietary glycolytic inhibitors on the quality of pork. In the first experiment the oxalate was provided to 110 kg pigs in the form of sodium oxalate at levels of 0, 7.0, and 9.7 g/pig. The ingestion of sodium oxalate decreased the rate of muscle pH decline and lowered the pork water loss (WL). In an additional experiment with sodium oxalate, 30 kg pigs were used as a model for market pigs. The sodium oxalate (0 and 2.6 g/pig) again decreased the rate of muscle pH decline postmortem and lowered pork WL.; In a second experiment the effect of dietary quercetin, an inhibitor of lactate dehydrogenase, on pork quality was determined in 110 kg pigs. Quercetin was provided at 0, 1.07, and 4.68 mg/pig. The ingestion of quercetin decreased the rate of muscle pH decline and improved the subsequent pork WL. The redness of the pork was lower with ingestion of dietary quercetin.; The last two experiments both involved using the 30 kg pig as a model for the market pig. In the third experiment high doses of vitamin C, a metabolic precursor of oxalate, was fed at 0, 290, and 704 mg/pig. The ingestion of vitamin C decreased the rate of postmortem muscle pH decline and lowered subsequent pork WL. The ingestion of vitamin C also improved the red color score of pork products and reduced the paleness of the pork products.; In the forth experiment, high levels of dietary Zn were provided shortly prior to slaughter. Dietary Zn was fed at 0, 4.9, 7.8, and 11.8 g/pig. The ingestion of Zn did not alter the rate of postmortem muscle pH decline and did not improve pork WL. The ingestion of dietary Zn did tend to improve the redness color score of pork.