Effects of sunflower soap stocks on light lamb meat quality

Abstract

Thirty-two lambs were used to study the effect of sunflower soap stocks (SS), a by-product from the vegetable oil refinery industry, on meat chemical composition, fatty acid profile, volatile compounds, and consumer acceptability. Lambs were finished (average length of fattening period 35 ± 7.3 d, 26.8 ± 0.09 kg final BW) on a pelleted total mixed ration (TMR) with no SS (00SS) or including 15, 30 or 60 g SS/kg (15SS, 30SS, and 60SS, respectively). Sunflower soap stocks decreased the percentage of SFA, increased the proportion of trans-MUFA (P < 0.05), and modified the levels of several odor-active lipid-derived volatile compounds (P < 0.05). Consumers were able to distinguish between control and 15SS meat samples in a triangular test (P < 0.05), but a well-defined preference for meat of any of these treatments was not exhibited (P > 0.05). Atherogenicity and saturation indexes decreased by 31% and 27%, respectively, in SS groups compared to control (linear P < 0.05). However, certain volatile compounds (benzene and toluene) and 10t-18:1 fatty acid, known potential hazards for human health, were increased in meat from lambs fed TMR with SS. For this reason, only inclusion rates up to 15 g SS/kg TMR seem to sustain a satisfactory balance between beneficial and detrimental effects on lamb meat composition and quality.