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UCD Lyons Farm research helps Truly Irish Ltd extend the shelf-life of pork products

Recent feeding trials, at Lyons Farm, have shown that the inclusion of seaweed extracts containing predominantly fucoidan in the diet of pigs decreased lipid oxidation in meat products and increased total antioxidant capacity in the meat muscle of the supplemented pigs and extended the shelf life of the pork by approximately five to seven days.

Truly Irish Ltd, an Irish pig producer owned food company, is now exploiting this technology to extend the shelf life of its products without the use of chemicals and to increase the anti-oxidant and health benefits of pork. Truly Irish’s award-winning products made from only the finest quality Irish pig meat, sourced direct from producers from across every county in Ireland, can be found leading retailers in Ireland and the UK.

Background

In modern pig production, weaning is a major stress in the pig’s life. The traditional approach to reducing weaning-associated intestinal disorders have centred on dietary inclusion of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in weaning pig diets, or high concentrations of dietary minerals in the form of zinc oxide at doses well above nutritional requirements. The direct purpose of these additives is to suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and salmonella.

Unfortunately, the overuse of antibiotics in modern agriculture is closely related to the growing number of antimicrobial-resistant agents and raises important concerns for both animal and human health. As a consequence of these concerns, the EU implemented a full ban on antibiotic growth promoter usage (AGP) in livestock diets in January 2006. There are concerns regarding the feeding of pharmacological doses of zinc oxide to pigs because of its link to an increase in antibiotic resistance and zinc accumulation in the environment.

Historically, seaweeds have always been known for their medicinal properties. Seaweed extracts are now showing a wide range of biological activities –  anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-coagulant and anti-inflammatory activities among others – with potential use in the food and nutraceutical markets. Brown seaweeds contain polysaccharides like laminarin, fucoidan and alginate. But research at Lyons Farm, carried out by Professor John O’Doherty and Professor Torres Sweeney, into the use of seaweed and seaweed extracts as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in weaning pig diets, has shown that whole milled seaweed and whole seaweed extracts have very limited value in pig diets but the sugars laminarin and fucoidan in particular are most interesting with potent biological activities in pigs.