INFLUENCE OF DIETARY MANGANESE SOURCE AND SUPPLEMENTATION LEVEL ON PORK QUALITY DURING RETAIL DISPLAY

ABSTRACT Pork loins were used to test the effects of dietary manganese source and supplementation level on pork quality traits during retail display. Chops from pigs fed 350 ppm Mn from Availa‐Mn received higher ( P < 0.05) Japanese color scores, and, after 4 days of retail display, were less discolored than chops from pigs fed the control diet or diets containing manganese sulfate (MnSO 4 ) (diet × display; P = 0.092). Chops from pigs fed 350 ppm Mn from MnSO 4 lost less moisture after 2 days of display (diet × display; P = 0.058), and tended to have lower ( P < 0.10) thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values than chops from pigs fed the control diets or diets supplemented with 700 ppm Mn from Availa‐Mn. The results indicate that feeding an additional 350 ppm Mn may enhance pork quality; however, the dietary inclusion of 700 ppm Mn, regardless of source, had no beneficial effects on pork color or lipid oxidation.