ISSUE FOCUS 20 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2022 "Adaptation of pig production is needed to answer the customer demand for sustainably produced and high-quality products. Supplementation with a highly available zinc source can be a good strategy to reduce losses during chilling of the carcass and oxidation of cooked meat, retaining pork quality better over time." About one third of global meat consumption is pork, only second after chicken. Due to its religious constraints and historic availability, the consumption of pork products varies widely between regions, but in both Europe and Asia it is the most consumed meat (1). Recent research into feeding the growing global human population has highlighted the potential of pigs in the recycling of by-products (mainly food waste and co-products) for food production. Their ability to turn by-products into food and manure, pigs return nutrients back into the food production system that would otherwise be lost (2, 3). Pork is often consumed in processed forms (minced meat, bacon, sausages, dry-cured or cooked ham and more), that have their origins related to preserving methods. Today, the main differentiation of pork products is made based on taste, origin and production standards. However, pork products still need to be attractive and made safe over time for consumers. Due to the variety in final products and changing preferences of the consumer, targeted meat quality can differ and may change over time (4). The impact of several factors influencing meat quality in general and pork quality specifically have been studied in detail. For example, genetics, dietary HOW ORGANIC ZINC CAN SUPPORT THE PORK PRODUCTION OF TOMORROW, TODAY Mieke Zoon Product Manager Minerals Pancosma Figure 1. Effect of supplementing 45 or 100 mg/kg zinc from zinc-glycinate in fattening pigs on carcass chill losses after 24 hours, with a,b P<0.001.
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