Balanced branched‐chain amino acids modulate meat quality by adjusting muscle fiber type conversion and intramuscular fat deposition in finishing pigs

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2022-07, Vol.102 (9), p.3796-3807
• Main Authors: Zhang, Lingyu, Li, Fengna, Guo, Qiuping, Duan, Yehui, Wang, Wenlong, Yang, Yuhuan, Yin, Yunju, Gong, Saiming, Han, Mengmeng, Yin, Yulong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenosine monophosphate; Amino acids; Amino Acids, Branched-Chain - metabolism; AMP; Animal Feed - analysis; Animals; branched‐chain amino acid ratios; Chain branching; Conversion; Deposition; Diet; Diet, Protein-Restricted; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Epigenesis, Genetic; Epigenetics; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids - chemistry; finishing pigs; intramuscular fat; Kinases; Meat; Meat quality; muscle fiber type; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscles; Nutrient deficiency; Nutrition; Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors; Pork; Protein kinase; Proteins; Shear forces; Swine
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.11728

BACKGROUND Pork is an important food for humans and improving the quality of pork is closely related to human health. This study was designed to investigate the effects of balanced branched‐chain amino acid (BCAA)‐supplemented protein‐restricted diets on meat quality, muscle fiber types, and intramuscular fat (IMF) in finishing pigs. RESULTS The results showed that, compared with the normal protein diet (160 g kg−1 crude protein), the reduced‐protein diet (120 g kg−1 crude protein) supplemented with BCAAs to the ratio of 2:1:2 not only had higher average daily gain (P