Abstract
In the last few decades there has been increased consumer interest in the fatty acid (FA) composition of ruminant meat due to its content of saturated FAs, which have been implicated in diseases associated with modern life. However, recent studies have questioned the recommendations to reduce intake of fat, saturated FAs and cholesterol as a means of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, ruminant meat has some bioactive lipids such as C18:1t11 and C18:2 c9, t11 which have been reported to have positive effects on human health. In order to improve muscle fat composition from a human health standpoint, oilseeds, plant oils andmarine oils can be used in ruminant diets. On the other hand,molecular mechanisms play an important role in the alteration of the FA composition of muscle fat. Genetics offer a wide range of possibilities for improvement of muscle fat compositionby identifyingdifferent loci underlying the expression ofquantitative traits.While significantprogress has been made in characterizing the influence of diet on the FA composition of ruminant meat, the use of genetic tools can favor genotypes that could maximize their genetic potential through the diet.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture |
| Volume | 97 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1969-1978 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| ISSN | 0022-5142 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2017 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Fatty acids
- Genetics
- Meat
- Ruminants
- Sheep
