Swine Nitrate Feed Composition for Meat Redness and Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for improving meat quality, such as those described in Van Den Bosch et al. (WO 2016/090366), do not effectively enhance the redness of meat color or carcass yield in swine during post-weaning, growth, and finishing phases using nitrate compounds.
Innovation Solution
Feeding swine a diet containing a nitrate compound, such as calcium nitrate, in the range of 0.06 wt% to 0.5 wt% of the daily diet, to increase the redness of meat color and carcass yield, measured using CIE L*a*b* color measurement, particularly during post-weaning, growth, and finishing phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If nitrate compound is fed to swine to improve meat quality, then the redness of meat color is enhanced, but the dosage must be precisely controlled to avoid harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the nitrate dosage within a specific range (0.06-0.5 wt%) to achieve the desired effect of enhanced meat redness while avoiding toxic effects. This quantitative parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between improving color quality and preventing harm.
2Productivity
If nitrate compound is fed to swine during post-weaning and growth phases, then carcass yield is improved, but the feeding period and duration must be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by initiating nitrate supplementation during the post-weaning and growth phases, before the finishing phase. This timing ensures that the animal's physiology is primed to respond to nitrate, maximizing carcass yield improvements while optimizing the duration of supplementation.
3Reliability
If existing methods using nitrate compounds are applied, then some health benefits are achieved, but meat color redness and carcass yield are not effectively enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by changing the dosage parameter to a specific range (0.06-0.5 wt%) and optimizing the administration timing through phased supplementation. These parameter adjustments simultaneously achieve reliable meat quality improvement including enhanced redness and improved carcass yield, which previous methods failed to accomplish.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method significantly enhances the redness of meat color by at least 5% and carcass yield by at least 1% compared to controls, with optimal results observed 24 hours after slaughter.
Implementation Method 1
A non-enzymatic pathway for the generation of NO has been proposed (nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway) for humans. Dietary inorganic nitrate molecules may be reduced by facultative anaerobic bacteria on the dorsal surface of the tongue to nitrite which can be chemically and enzymatically be further reduced to NO
Implementation Method 2
This induces vasodilation and increased blood flow (Siervo et al. 2011; Kelm 1999)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for improving the quality of meat obtained from an animal. In one aspect, the method relates to feeding an animal a diet containing calcium nitrate. In one aspect, the method relates to improving the redness of the meat color.