Enrichment of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) meat with omega-3 fatty acids by diets with fish oil and sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) seeds

Abstract

The aim of this study was to enrich guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) meat with omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids by diets with omega-3 sources. A total of 48 male guinea pigs, 42 day old and 615 g body weight were used. The guinea pigs were randomly assigned to four treatments with three replicates (pens) with four individuals each. The dietary treatments were: 1) Control diet; 2) 1.0% fish oil supplemented diet; 3) 4.0% sacha inchi seeds (Plukenetia volubilis) supplemented diet; and 4) 1.0% fish oil + 4.0% sacha inchi seeds supplemented diet. The experiment lasted 28 days. The meat of guinea pig supplemented with fish oil contained 1.36% large chain omega-3 fatty acids (0.63% eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] + 0.73% docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and those supplemented with the fish oil + sacha inchi had 0.99% large chain omega-3 fatty acids (0.44% EPA + 0.55% DHA). Guinea pigs on the control diet and those supplemented with sacha inchi seeds contained no large chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) but short chain omega-3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid (ALA). Furthermore, meat of guinea pig fed on the sacha inchi diet showed the highest level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (51.35%), the lowest content of monounsaturated fatty acids (21.97%) and the lowest concentration of saturated fatty acids (25.49%). It is concluded that the diet with fish oil produced retention of omega-3 EPA and DHA in guinea pig meat, while the diet with sacha inchi seeds only retained omega-3 ALA.