Lipid composition and nutritional value of some meats with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)

The aim of this work was to characterise and compare the lipid cQmposition (lípid and eholcsterol contents, fatty acid composition and conjugated linoleie acid isomers) and nutritiona! value (PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 ratios) of four Portuguese mea!s with Protceted Designation of Origin (POO; Camalentejana-PDO beel: Mertolenga-POO beef, Barrosã-POO veal and Arouquesa-POO veal), in 1\\'0 distinct slaughter seasoos (early autUnm and late spring). The purebred bovines were maintained according to the traditional productioo systems following the rules established in the meat-POO product specificatioos. ln addition, we also compared the nutritional qU31ityof illtramuscular fat in thesc meats-PDO ,vith the meat obtained from AlentejanaxCharolais erossbrcd young bulls produced io a typical intcnsive concentrate-based system. The results obtained for Carnalentejana-PDO beef (Meat Science. 2006. 72, 425-436), Mertolenga-PDO bcef (Joumal of lhe Science of Food and Agrieulture, 2006, 86, 2196-2205), Barrosã-PDO veal (Food Chemistry, 2006, 94,469-477; Meat Science, 2007, 75,44-52) and Arouquesa-PDO veal (Meat Science, submitted), indicate that intramuscular tàts of meats-PDO. as a result of the beneficial grass effects 00 the eharacterislics of meat lipids, are of grcater nutritional quality than inteosively produêcd bcef from crossbred young bulls throughout the year. However, the data suggest that beef-PDO (Camalentejana-POO aod Mertolenga-POO) iotramuseular falorelative 10Ihat fram veal-PDO (Barrosã-PDO veal and Arouquesa-PDO veal), depiets a 1m.vnutritional ql,lality throughout the year. These differences may be explained by the finishing period of Alentejana and Mertolenga purebrcd young bulls 011coneentrate, which attenuates the beneficia] effects on the charaeteristies ofmeat fat associated with grass intake