Plant extract feed additive compound for improving fat droplet content of pork muscle cells

Abstract

The invention discloses a plant extract feed additive compound for increasing the fat droplet content of pork muscle cells, and belongs to the field of animal feed. The compound is prepared from the following components in parts by weight: 1 to 20 parts of carvacrol, 0.1 to 1.5 parts of thymol and 1 to 15 parts of cinnamyl aldehyde. By utilizing the synergistic effect of multiple components in the plant extract feed addition compound, the pork muscle cell lipid droplet content is obviously increased, and the tenderness, flavor and juiciness of pork are improved, so that the pork quality is improved. The invention provides a novel plant-derived compound for improving the pork quality, especially for improving the fat droplet content of pork muscle cells, and the compound can be safely and effectively applied to improving the pork quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of animal feed, and in particular to a plant extract feed additive compound that increases the lipid droplet content of pork muscle cells. Background Technology

[0002] The content of lipid droplets within the muscle cells of pork, commonly known as intramuscular fat (IMF) or marbling, is one of the most critical factors determining pork quality, especially its edible quality. It has a significant impact on core sensory indicators such as tenderness, flavor, and juiciness. Currently, there is a strong market demand for pork with high marbling, making it economically significant to improve pork quality. Therefore, increasing the lipid droplet content in pork muscle cells is a key scientific issue of ongoing concern.

[0003] In pig farming, several strategies are typically employed to increase the lipid droplet content in pork muscle cells: optimizing feeding and management to increase lipid droplet content, but the effect is limited; some studies use genetic breeding to develop new breeds, but this is time-consuming and costly (e.g., selecting local pig breeds); some farms use chemical additives such as ractopamine in feed, but these additives pose serious safety risks and have been banned in many countries. To reduce the use of chemical additives, some companies use single plant extracts, but the effect is limited.

[0004] In studies on improving pork quality (especially myocyte lipid droplet content), plant extracts have become an important choice for feed additives due to their naturalness and bioactivity. The advantages of using single plant extracts (such as adding cinnamaldehyde or carvacrol alone) lie in their clear mechanism of action, simple quality control, and direct safety assessment. For example, cinnamaldehyde can increase intramuscular fat by 8-12% by activating the key lipid metabolism gene PPARγ, and its toxicological parameters (LD50) are also relatively low. 50 The method is clear and easy to standardize production. However, it has significant drawbacks: first, its effect is limited, and high doses (>0.15%) can easily inhibit feed intake, leading to a decrease in daily weight gain; second, it targets only one specific area, regulating only fat synthesis while ignoring synergistic pathways such as antioxidation and anti-inflammation; and third, there is a risk of tolerance, as long-term use may disrupt the balance of gut microbiota and increase the diarrhea rate by 15-20%. In contrast, the combined use of plant extracts can overcome the limitations of using single plant extracts through the synergistic effect of multiple components. Therefore, developing a plant-based compound that can improve pork quality is crucial to solving the problems existing in current technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a plant extract feed additive compound that increases the lipid droplet content of pork muscle cells, thereby solving the problems existing in the prior art. This compound, through the synergistic effect of natural plant extracts carvacrol, thymol, and cinnamaldehyde, can significantly increase the lipid droplet content of pork muscle cells, improve the tenderness, flavor, and juiciness of pork, and thus improve the quality of pork.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution:

[0007] This invention provides a plant extract feed additive compound comprising the following components in parts by weight: 1-20 parts of carvacrol, 0.1-1.5 parts of thymol, and 1-15 parts of cinnamaldehyde.

[0008] Preferably, the components include the following parts by weight: 5 parts carvacrol, 0.7 parts thymol, and 5 parts cinnamaldehyde.

[0009] The present invention also provides the application of the compound in the preparation of feed additives to improve pork quality.

[0010] The present invention also provides the application of the compound in the preparation of feed that improves pork quality.

[0011] Preferably, the compound is added to the basal diet at a ratio of 1.0-2.0 g / kg to obtain feed that improves pork quality.

[0012] Preferably, the pork quality refers to the content of lipid droplets in pork muscle cells, muscle texture, and marbling grade.

[0013] The present invention also provides a feed additive for improving pork quality, which contains the aforementioned compound.

[0014] Preferably, the feed additive also includes auxiliary ingredients.

[0015] The present invention also provides a feed for improving pork quality, which contains the aforementioned compound.

[0016] Preferably, the compound is added to the basal diet at a ratio of 1.0-2.0 g / kg to obtain feed that improves pork quality.

[0017] The present invention discloses the following technical effects:

[0018] This invention involves compounding carvacrol, thymol, and cinnamaldehyde in a specific ratio and adding them to the basal diet of pigs at a rate of 1.0-2.0 g / kg. The results showed that the prepared compound significantly increased the lipid droplet content in pork muscle cells, improving the tenderness, flavor, and juiciness of the pork, thereby enhancing its quality. This invention utilizes plant extracts to prepare a compound with naturally derived and safe bioactive components. When added to the basal diet as a feed additive, its synergistic effect through multiple components significantly improves pork quality. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 The effect of adding compound to feed with different doses of plant extract on the muscle texture of pork; (A) blank control group; (B) low dose group; (C) medium dose group; (D) high dose group;

[0021] Figure 2 The effect of adding compound to feed containing different doses of plant extracts on the lipid droplet content of pork muscle cells; (A) Blank control group; (B) Low-dose group; (C) Medium-dose group; (D) High-dose group;

[0022] Figure 3 For marble texture rating reference chart;

[0023] Figure 4 The effect of adding compound to feed with different doses of plant extract on the evaluation of marbling grade of pork; (A) blank control group; (B) low dose group; (C) medium dose group; (D) high dose group. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail. This detailed description should not be considered as a limitation of the present invention, but rather as a more detailed description of certain aspects, features, and embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] It should be understood that the terminology used in this invention is merely for describing particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, with respect to numerical ranges in this invention, it should be understood that each intermediate value between the upper and lower limits of the range is also specifically disclosed. Any stated value or intermediate value within a stated range, as well as each smaller range between any other stated value or intermediate value within said range, is also included in this invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may be independently included or excluded from the range.

[0026] Unless otherwise stated, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. While only preferred methods and materials have been described herein, any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the implementation or testing of this invention. All references to this specification are incorporated by way of citation to disclose and describe methods and / or materials associated with those references. In the event of any conflict with any incorporated reference, the content of this specification shall prevail.

[0027] Various modifications and variations can be made to the specific embodiments described in this specification without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Other embodiments derived from this specification will also be apparent to those skilled in the art. This specification and embodiments are merely exemplary.

[0028] The terms “include,” “including,” “have,” “contain,” etc., used in this article are all open-ended terms, meaning that they include but are not limited to.

[0029] The carvacrol involved in this invention has the chemical formula C. 10 H 14 O, CAS number 499-75-2;

[0030] Thymol, molecular formula C 10 H 14 O, CAS number is 89-83-8;

[0031] Cinnamaldehyde, molecular formula C9H8O, CAS number 104-55-2.

[0032] Example 1

[0033] A plant extract feed additive compound, by weight, comprises: 1 part carvacrol, 0.1 part thymol, and 1 part cinnamaldehyde.

[0034] Preparation method: Mix the above dosages evenly to obtain the plant extract feed additive compound.

[0035] Example 2

[0036] A plant extract feed additive compound, by weight, comprises: 3 parts carvacrol, 0.5 parts thymol, and 4 parts cinnamaldehyde.

[0037] The preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0038] Example 3

[0039] A plant extract feed additive compound, by weight, comprises: 5 parts carvacrol, 0.7 parts thymol, and 5 parts cinnamaldehyde.

[0040] The preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0041] Example 4

[0042] A plant extract feed additive compound, by weight, comprises: 10 parts carvacrol, 1.0 part thymol, and 10 parts cinnamaldehyde.

[0043] The preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0044] Example 5

[0045] A plant extract feed additive compound, by weight, comprises: 15 parts carvacrol, 1.0 part thymol, and 12 parts cinnamaldehyde.

[0046] The preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0047] Example 6

[0048] A plant extract feed additive compound, by weight, comprises: 20 parts carvacrol, 1.5 parts thymol, and 15 parts cinnamaldehyde.

[0049] The preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0050] Test case

[0051] 1. Test Methods

[0052] Eighty-four healthy, 30-day-old crossbred pigs weighing (15±0.5) kg were randomly divided into four groups: a blank control group, a low-dose group, a medium-dose group, and a high-dose group. The blank control group was fed only a basal diet. The low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups were fed the plant extract feed additive compound prepared in Example 3 at ratios of 1.0 g / kg, 1.5 g / kg, and 2.0 g / kg, respectively, under the same feeding conditions for 16 weeks. Throughout the experimental period, all pigs were housed in the same fattening pen, and their body condition, fecal morphology, and feed intake were observed daily to ensure the herd's health and stability. Daily feed intake and weekly body weight were recorded according to the group feeding schedule. After 16 weeks of feeding, the pigs were slaughtered, and key indicators such as muscle marbling, fat droplet content, and marbling grade were measured to analyze the effects of the plant extract feed additive compound on the fat droplet content in pork muscle cells and pork quality. The measurement methods are as follows:

[0053] (1) Take samples of the longissimus dorsi muscle and combine them with meat tissue sections. Use hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining to observe the morphological characteristics of muscle fibers, including fiber diameter, muscle fiber density and muscle bundle arrangement, in order to analyze the effect of plant-extracted feed additives on muscle microstructure.

[0054] (2) The lipid droplet content in the muscle cells of the longissimus dorsi muscle was observed by Oil Red staining. Before use, the Oil Red O staining solution was taken out, diluted to the working concentration with PBS at a ratio of 3:2, filtered, and set aside. The operation steps are as follows: (a) Fixation: Remove the 3cm cell culture dish to be stained, discard the old culture medium, wash twice with PBS, add 0.5mL of 4% paraformaldehyde fixative and fix for 30min, then discard the paraformaldehyde fixative. (b) Oil Red O staining: Wash twice with PBS, stain with Oil Red O working solution for 5min. (c) Mounting: After washing twice with PBS, mount with glycerol gelatin. (d) Observe and photograph under an optical microscope.

[0055] (3) Samples of the longissimus dorsi muscle were taken for sensory evaluation to assess the marbling grade of the marbled meat. The meat color score samples were stored in a refrigerator at 0℃~4℃ for 24 hours, then cut in half and placed flat on a white porcelain plate; compared with the marbling grading chart (…). Figure 3 Visual evaluation was conducted at 10:00 AM on a sunny day under natural light conditions, and the results were recorded. A sensory evaluation form was created, and more than ten evaluators were selected to conduct visual evaluation. The average score was used to represent the grade of the collected marbled pork samples (specifically referring to the patented pork marbling grade atlas, a method for evaluating pork marbling grade, and industry standard NY / T 821-2019 Technical Specification for Pork Quality Determination).

[0056] 2. Test Results

[0057] like Figure 1 As shown in the HE staining results, compared with the blank control group, the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose treatment groups had lower muscle striations, denser muscle fiber arrangement, and clearer texture. This result indicates that the meat of the three different dose treatment groups had better tenderness.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown in the results of Oil Red staining, the average number of lipid droplets in the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose treatment groups was significantly higher than that in the blank control group. The lipid droplets were more numerous, smaller in diameter, and more evenly dispersed.

[0059] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the grading results indicate that the marbled texture of the marbled meat was significantly improved in the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose treatment groups compared to the blank control group, with the medium-dose and high-dose treatment groups showing the most significant improvement.

[0060] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention should fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A plant extract feed additive compound, characterized in that, It includes the following components in parts by weight: 1-20 parts carvacrol, 0.1-1.5 parts thymol, and 1-15 parts cinnamaldehyde.

2. The compound as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It includes the following components in parts by weight: 5 parts carvacrol, 0.7 parts thymol, and 5 parts cinnamaldehyde.

3. The application of the compound as described in claim 1 in the preparation of feed additives to improve pork quality.

4. The application of the compound as described in claim 1 in the preparation of feed to improve pork quality.

5. The application as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The compound is added to the basal diet at a ratio of 1.0-2.0 g / kg to obtain feed that improves pork quality.

6. The application as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The pork quality is defined as the content of lipid droplets in pork muscle cells, muscle texture, and marbling grade.

7. A feed additive for improving pork quality, characterized in that, It contains the compound as described in claim 1.

8. The feed additive as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The feed additives also include auxiliary materials.

9. A feed for improving pork quality, characterized in that, It contains the compound as described in claim 1.

10. The feed as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The compound is added to the basal diet at a ratio of 1.0-2.0 g / kg to obtain feed that improves pork quality.

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