Fatty acid composition of meat and adipose tissue from Krškopolje pigs and commercial fatteners in Slovenia

Abstract. The fatty acid composition of meat and subcutaneous adipose tissue of the indigenous Slovenian pig breed (Krškopolje, KP), which is raised extensively, was compared with that of commercial fatteners (CP) from intensive farms. Commercial fatteners were divided into three groups according to lean meat percentage: meaty, normal and fatty. The m. longissimus dorsi of Krškopolje pigs contained less C18:0 fatty acids than that of commercial fatteners and less C16:0 than that of the fatty group. The proportions of long chain fatty acids C20:4 n-6, C20:5 n-3 and C22:5 n-3 in the Krškopolje pigs and fatty groups were also significantly different. The highest proportion of essential C18:2 n-6 and C18:3 n-3 fatty acids were found in the meaty and normal groups. Intramuscular fat content of the m. longissimus dorsi did not differ between the Krškopolje pigs, and the fatty and normal groups. The Krškopolje pigs had the lowest proportion of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), while both the Krškopolje pigs and the fatty group have a lower proportion of polysaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) than the meaty group. The fatty group had a lower polyunsaturated : saturated fatty acid ratio than the meaty and normal groups. In the subcutaneous adipose tissue, Krškopolje pigs had the highest proportion of C18:1 n-9 and differed from the normal group in C18:0 content, from the fatty group in C16:1 n-7 and from the meaty and fatty groups in C18:2 n-6. Furthermore, the Krškopolje pigs had the highest monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and lower PUFAs and n-6 PUFAs proportions than the fatty group. The meaty group had a higher n-6 : n-3 PUFA ratio than the Krškopolje pigs.