Meat fatty acid profile of lambs fed processed or unprocessed canola seeds

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to compare carcass fatty acids profile of lambs fed a control diet and diets containing either whole (WC), cracked (CC) or pelleted (PC) canola seeds. Twenty-eight lambs assigned to a completely randomized design were fed their respective diets for 132 days and slaughtered between 31 and 33kg of body weight. Samples of muscle Longissimus dorsi, Psoas maior and Psoas menor were collected on the left side of the carcass between the 12^th and 13^th ribs and 11 cm from the carcass midline. Concentrations of C10:0, C14:ω5, C15:0, C16:0, C16:1ω7. C17:0 and, C18:3ω3 were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the carcass of lambs fed the three canola seed diets than in the carcass of those fed the control diet. Pelleted canola seeds increased the percentages of C18:1ω9, C18:3ω6, C20:0, C20:1ω9, C22:0, and C24:0, and the proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids in the carcass of lambs compared to control and diets with either whole or cracked canola seeds. There was no difference among diets for polyunsaturated fatty acids concentration and the ratio between polyunsaturated and total fatty acids. These results suggest that the inclusion of canola seeds in the diet of lambs modifies the profile of fatty acids and that the effects is more important with pelleted than with whole or cracked seeds.