J. Anim Sci., doi: 10.2527/jas.2007-0797
©Copyright, 2008, The American Society of Animal Science
Effects of oral administration of sodium citrate or acetate to pigs on blood parameters, postmortem glycolysis, muscle pH decline, and pork quality attributes
J. W. Stephens 1,
M. E. Dikeman 1*,
J. A. Unruh 1,
M. D. Haub 2,
M. D. Tokach 1,
S. S. Dritz 3
1 Department of Animal Sciences and Industry,226 Weber Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
2 Department of Human Nutrition, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
3 College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mdikeman{at}ksu.edu.
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Abstract |
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The objective of this study was to determine the effects of oral administration of sodium citrate (CIT) or acetate (ACE) to pigs on blood parameters, postmortem glycolysis, pH decline, and pork quality attributes. Previous studies have shown that CIT has the potential to inhibit phosphofructokinase (PFK), a key enzyme in postmortem glycolysis. In Exp. 1, CIT, ACE, or water was orally administered (0.75 g/kg body weight) to 24 pigs. After a 30 min rest, pigs were exercised, and blood samples were taken at 45 and 75 min after oral treatment. Citrate and ACE tended (P = 0.08) to increase blood pH and increased (P = 0.02) bicarbonate levels immediately after exercise. After a 30 min rest, blood pH for pigs administered ACE tended (P = 0.09) to remain higher, whereas blood pH of CIT-treated pigs was similar to controls (CON). Bicarbonate levels in ACE- and CIT-treated pigs were still higher (P < 0.05) than CON 75 min after oral treatment. In Exp. 2, 30 pigs were administered CIT, ACE, or water 45 min before stunning (electric plus captive bolt). Antemortem treatments had no effect (P > 0.10) on muscle pH or postmortem concentrations of the glycolytic metabolites of glucose-6 phosphate, fructose-6 phosphate, fructose-1,6 bisphosphate, glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, or lactate. Minor, but inconsistent, differences in quality attributes were found in LM chops, and no differences in quality attributes were found between CON and treated inside and outside semimembranosus muscles (P > 0.10). There was no significant inhibition of the PFK enzyme by orally-administered CIT or ACE; however, results of PFK glycolytic metabolite data analysis indicate that PFK was a main regulatory enzyme in postmortem muscle.
Key Words:
Pork, Glycolysis, Citrate, Acetate, Meat Quality
