Improvement of Intramuscular Fat in longissimus Muscle of Finishing Thai Crossbred Black Pigs by Perilla Cake Supplementation in a Low-Lysine Diet.

This study was conducted to find out the effects of perilla cake (PC) supplementation in a low-lysine diet on Thai crossbred finishing pigs' productivity, carcass and meat quality, and fatty acid composition. For six weeks, a total of 21 barrows of finishing pigs were fed with three dietary treatments (T1: basal diet, T2: 2.5 percent PC supplementation in a low-lysine diet, and T3: 4.5 percent PC supplementation in a low-lysine diet). The results show that the intramuscular fat and marbling score was significantly increased by T2 and T3. On the other hand, it was found that the boiling loss and shear force value were significantly decreased by T2 and T3 (p < 0.05). In a low-lysine diet, dietary PC supplementation caused a significant increase in malondialdehyde levels in meat (p < 0.05) compared with the basal diet. It was also shown that alpha-linolenic acid level in backfat and the longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle was increased considerably by T2 and T3. Therefore, supplementing PC in a low-lysine diet may be an alternative strategy for improving the meat quality of late-phase pigs.

Comparative Analysis of Nutritional Components and Phytochemical Attributes of Selected Thai Rice Bran.

It is important to raise awareness regarding rice's nutritional quality and health benefits in terms of enhancing rice consumption in people's daily diets. This study evaluated the proximate components and phytochemical profiles of 11 Thai rice bran varieties, 4 non-colored rice brans and 7 colored rice brans, collected from the same agricultural fields. The chemical composition (ash, fat, proteins, fiber, and gross energy) was determined using proximate analysis methods. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to analyze the γ-oryzanol, tocopherols, and anthocyanins, while gas chromatography mass spectrometry determined the free fatty compounds. The phenolic profile was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed great variations in each parameter of the nutritional and bioactive components among different rice bran varieties. Statistical analysis was also performed correlating the results obtained from PCA to categorize the samples by their nutritional characteristics into three main groups: group A with a high content of protein and fiber, group B with a high content of fat and gross energy, and group C with low fat and energy values but high amounts of functional, active components, particularly γ-oryzanol. Anthocyanins were detected in only one sample of colored rice bran. The major free fatty acids found in rice bran samples were oleic, linoleic, and palmitic acids. Systematic assessment of the concentration of these compounds gained from this study would be helpful to the industrial sector for selecting phytochemical-rich varieties as a value-added component in nutritional products.