Quality of fresh and seasoned fat of Cinta Senese pigs as affected by fattening with chestnut

This trial was aimed to verify the effect of fattening with chestnut on carcass characteristics and on quality traits of products of Cinta Senese breed. Thirty-three Cinta Senese pigs were allotted into three groups. One group was fed a commercial feedstuff (0-CH), the other two groups were fed chestnut for one (1-CH) or three (3-CH) months. Pigs were slaughtered at 130 kg of live weight. The 1-CH group showed significantly lower pH value at 24 h (P < 0.05). For sample joint dissection a significant effect (P < 0.05) of feeding system was found only on intermuscular fat, highest in 1-CH. A significant effect of feeding system (P < 0.05) was found on physical and chemical parameters of Longissimus lumborum: the 3-CH group showed the highest values (P < 0.05) of L*, a*, b*, drip loss, cooking loss, shear force and intramuscular fat on raw meat. The 3-CH showed significantly higher level (P < 0.05) of unsaturation for the highest percentage of MUFA and PUFA.