Quality and dietary value of pork meat of the Puławska and Złotnicka Spotted breeds, and commercial fattening pigs

The aim of the study was to determine the quality and nutritional value of meat originating from pigs of Polish native pure breeds - the Puławska and Złotnicka Spotted as well as the commercial four-breed crossbreds F1 (Large White × Polish Landrace) × F1 (Duroc × Pietrain). Physicochemical properties of meat were evaluated, such as acidity, water holding capacity, tenderness, and color parameters. In addition, functional properties of meat were determined: nutritional value, mineral content and fatty acid profile. The dietetic indices of meat were also determined. The smallest acidity of muscle tissue was characteristic of the meat of the Puławska breed and the smallest meat drip loss was found in both native breeds (P≤0.01). This can confirm their greater technological suitability. The most tender was meat obtained from pigs of the Puławska breed (36.07 N/cm²). The darker color was characteristic of the pig meat of the Złotnicka Spotted breed (L* = 49.19) (P≤0.01). Meat of all three groups of the tested pigs had the quality characteristics related to normal meat. The highest content of protein was found in the Złotnicka Spotted meat (25.23%) at optimum fat content (2.25%). The high content of ash (1.63%) recorded in the Złotnicka Spotted meat meant higher content of macro and microelements, especially iron and zinc, as compared to meat of the four-breed crossbreds (P≤0.01). The highest amount of monounsaturated fatty acids (52.72%) was recorded in porcine meat of the Puławska breed, while content of polyunsaturated fatty acids was the highest in meat of the four-breed crossbreds (16.77% vs. 9.32% and 15.19%) (P≤0.01). No differences were found between the groups tested for atherogenic index. In terms of most physicochemical and functional characteristics, meat of native pig breeds was superior to the meat of commercial pigs from mass-production.