Effect of oregano essential oil supplementation to a reduced-protein, amino acid-supplemented diet on meat quality, fatty acid composition, and oxidative stability of Longissimus thoracis muscle in growing-finishing pigs

Abstract This study investigated the effects of reduced-protein, amino acid-supplemented diet supplementation with oregano essential oil (OEO) in pigs, from growing period to slaughter, on the meat quality, fatty acid composition, and oxidative stability of Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle. Thirty-six barrows were randomly divided into three experimental treatments, namely, normal protein diet (NPD), reduced-protein, amino acid-supplemented diet (RPD), and identical RPD supplemented (250 mg/kg feed) with OEO (OEO) treatments. Dietary RPD and OEO increased the b* 45 min , tenderness, overall acceptance, and intramuscular fat (IMF) content of pork compared with dietary NPD. The percentage of n − 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n − 3 PUFA) and the percentage of monounsaturated fatty acid in OEO muscle were higher and lower than those in RPD muscle, respectively. Dietary OEO improved oxidative stability, total antioxidative capacity, and catalase but decreased drip loss in LT muscle. Results indicated that dietary OEO enhanced the sensory attributes and anti-oxidative status of pork meat by improving IMF and n − 3 PUFA proportion and antioxidative capacity.