[image via Snorg Tees]

.My friend, I dont know how to break it to you, but youve been eating pig.
Thats right, pig. Not what you would properly call pork, but pig partsthe bits and pieces and
byproducts left in the slaughterhouse after the chops and ham and bacon are gone. Gelatin from pig
skin puts the chew in gum and licorice and the creaminess in cheesecake and tiramisu. Pig hair protein
makes sandwich wraps pliable and keeps bread squeezably fresh. Even the plate you eat from could
contain ash from pig bones, and your napkin was probably made with bone gelatin.
Most of these products are not labeled to tell you this.
Often, processors will deliberately remove the word animal from their ingredient list. For
example, hydrolyzed animal protein becomes hydrolyzed collagen, and animal protein is labeled L-
cysteine. There are thousands more technical and patented names for ingredient variations that can
appear on product labels. Adding to the confusion are the pig parts that dont wind up in the final
product but are used in the manufacturing process: bone char to whiten sugar; gelatin to clarify beer
and remove tannins from wine. These dont even have to be mentioned by the manufacturer.
Pig-derived food additives are hiding in plain sight:

stearic acid made from fat is found in vanilla flavoring and pill coatings
pepsin, a pig stomach enzyme, can be used in cheese-making
calcium stearate from fat is commonly found in garlic salt and spice blends
energy bars often rely on collagen as a protein source
pig skin-derived gelatin is used to absorb cloudy elements in juice drinks, add texture to low-fat dips
and spreads, and cut down on the formation of sugar crystals in ice cream; its also added to
marshmallows, yogurt, and frosted breakfast cereals
Some of the other names for pig-based additives that are familiar to anyone who reads product
packaging are capric acid (decanoic acid), glucose (dextrose), glycerides, sodium stearoyl
lactylate, and oleic acid (oleinic acid).
If this is stunning news to you, think of vegetarians and vegans, and people who keep kosher or
observehalal.
Truly going whole hog
The staggering array of food and non-food uses of pig parts is portrayed in the book Pig 05049. The
parts of a single animal, known by its ear tag as number 05049, were followed and photographed as
they moved from the slaughterhouse into a complex and globalized food chain. The result is a visual
essay of a mind-blowing 185 products derived from just one pig.

What is the ruling on using gelatin in foods and medicines?

I was trying to find out the correct ruling on gelatin which comes from haram

ingredients (such as pork) and the matter is a bit controversial. I even read two fatwas

in this website, fatwa nr. 210 and fatwa nr. 118266 and according to my understanding

they are opposing each other regarding the same thing. On one of them it says that if

the product did not change its initial state then it is haram, meaning the gelatin coming

from pork can or cannot change from its origin state and on the other fatwa it says that

the gelatin does change its state of origin. Can you reconciliate between them and guide

me to the correct ruling regarding gelatin

Published Date: 2014-08-16

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

Animal gelatin is a soft, viscous substance that is not soluble in water. It is extracted

from animal bones and tissues by means of lengthy boiling in water.

End quote from al-Mujam al-Waseet (1/150)

It says in al-Mawsooah al-Arabiyyah al-Aalamiyyah: Gelatin is a protein substance that

is extracted from the skin and bones of animals. End quote.

Raw gelatin is extracted from the skin or bones of camels, cattle, sheep and pigs.

Gelatin is a substance that is included in many manufactured foods, such as pastry and

childrens foods, and in the manufacture of yoghurt, cheese, ice cream, pancakes,

drinks, juices, and some ready-made foods in the form of powder (jello and puddings),

some types of yoghurt, chewing gum and gummy candies. It is also used in the

manufacture of medicines, such as capsules. It is used in the production of toothpaste,

lotions and creams, and in the production of suppositories and pessaries.

Secondly:
There is nothing wrong with extracting gelatin from the skin, sinews and bones of

animals that are permissible to eat and have been slaughtered in the prescribed

manner, alorl from plants that are not harmful or poisonous.

This type of gelatin is permissible, and there is nothing wrong with using it or

consuming it in food or medicine.

See: Mawsooah al-Fiqh al-Islami (4/329)

It is not permissible to extract gelatin from the flesh, bones and skin of pigs or

permissible animals that have not been slaughtered in the prescribed manner.

It says in a statement of the Islamic Fiqh Council: It is permissible to use gelatin that is

extracted from permissible substances and permissible animals that have been

slaughtered in the prescribed manner, and it is not permissible to extract it from haraam

sources such as the skin and bones of pigs and other haraam animals and haraam

substances.

End quote from Qaraaraat al-Majma al-Fiqhi al-Islami, Muslim World League (p. 85)

Thirdly:

Although we say that it is haraam to extract gelatin from these haraam substances, the

ruling on consuming it after it has been introduced into the manufacture of food and

medicine depends on whether the gelatin was transformed after being introduced into

the manufacturing process.

If, after manufacture and treatment the gelatin has turned into another substance that

differs in its characteristics from the impure substance from which it was extracted,

then there is nothing wrong with eating it or using it.

But if it has not been changed completely, and it still retains some of the characteristics

of the impure substance from which it was taken, then it is not permissible to consume

it under any circumstances, because it is part of the pig or impure substance.

By referring to the words of specialists concerning this matter, it is clear that they differ

concerning this issue. Some of them say that transformation in the case of gelatin is

complete, and others say that this is not the case.

Some researchers stated that gelatin which is derived from the bones and skin of cattle

and pigs has undergone a complete transformation and is different from the substance

from which it was derived, and that it has acquired chemical properties that differ from

those of the original substance from which it was extracted, thus it comes under what

the scholars have said about transformation.

This view was adopted by the Islamic Organization for Medical Science. In their

statement it says: Istihaalah (process of transformation) means that a substance

changes into another substance with different characteristics, so an impure substance

may change into a pure substance, and a haraam substance may change into one that is

permissible according to shareeah.

Based on that: gelatin that is produced by means of a process of transformation from

the bones, skin and sinews of impure animals is taahir (pure) and it is permissible to eat

it.

See: http://www.islamset.com/arabic/abioethics/muharaamat.html

[in Arabic].

However others disagreed and said that the chemical processes to which the skin and

bones of pigs are subjected in order to extract gelatin do not result in complete
transformation. Rather it is a partial transformation, because the gelatin still retains

some of the characteristics of the impure substance from which it was taken.

Dr Wafeeq ash-Sharqaawi (President of the administrative committee of the Arabian

Company for Gelatin Products in Egypt) said:

The skin and bones of pigs do not undergo a complete transformation; rather it is a

partial transformation and by means of testing it is possible to determine the origin of

the gelatin that is extracted from the skin and bones of pigs after they are subjected to

the chemical processes by means of which gelatin is extracted. That is because of the

presence of some properties in this gelatin, from which it is possible to determine its

origin. So we cannot say that the parts of the pig that are turned into gelatin have

undergone a complete transformation.

End quote from Majallat al-Buhooth al-Fiqhiyyah al-Muaasirah (31/28)

What appears to be more correct is the view that it is not permissible to use gelatin in

foods, medicines or anything else if it is derived from an impure substance, for several

reasons:

1.

A number of specialists have stated that the transformation is not complete, and that

what has been done to the skin and bones of pigs is a manufacturing process, not a

process of transformation. So the porcine material remains subject to the prohibition

and is regarded as impure, and anything that is manufactured from it comes under the

same ruling.

2.
The fact that there is some doubt concerning this matter (namely the question of

whether the transformation is complete or otherwise) prompts us to adhere to the

original ruling, which is that this substance is impure unless it is proven that this is a

real transformation.

3.

The view of many of the scholars is that the ruling on an impure substance does not

change even if it is deemed to have been transformed. Therefore their view is that using

this kind of gelatin is haraam, because its origin is impure. No matter how much the

substance changes, the ruling does not change.

Even though this view is not more likely to be correct, it prompts us to be cautious with

regard to many matters in which we cannot be certain that the process of

transformation has indeed taken place.

4.

The view that this kind of gelatin is haraam is the view of many contemporary scholars.

It says in a statement issued by the Islamic Fiqh Council in Jeddah:

It is not permissible for the Muslim to use yeast and gelatin derived from pig sources in

food.

The availability of yeast and gelatin derived from vegetable sources or animals

slaughtered in the prescribed manner means that there is no need for that (i.e., gelatin

from haraam sources).

End quote from Qaraaraat Majma al-Fiqh al-Islami (p. 90)

The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked: Is gelatin haraam?

They replied:

If the gelatin is derived from something haraam, such as pork or the skin, bones etc of

pigs, then it is haraam. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the

meaning): Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maytatah (the dead animals - cattle-

beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine [al-Maaidah 5:3]. The scholars are

unanimously agreed that pig fat is included in this prohibition. If no haraam substances

or ingredients are involved in the production of gelatin, then there is nothing wrong

with it.

End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daaimah (22/260)

To sum up:

It is not permissible to consume foods, drinks and medicines that contain gelatin

derived from the skin of pigs or other impure substances, especially when alternatives

are available in the form of animals which Allah has permitted. It is possible to

manufacture gelatin from these animals that are slaughtered in the prescribed manner,

and it will serve the same purpose in manufacturing medicine or food.

Cigarette filters contain pigs blood

By Candy Lashkari

The next time you light up a cigarette you may be puffing on a filter which contains pigs
blood. Recent Dutch research found that pig hemoglobin was being used to make filters of
cigarettes more effective in blocking harmful chemicals before they enter the smokers
lungs.

Simon Chapman, a professor at the University of Sydney said that this was one of the 185
industrial uses of a pig that the Dutch research had identified. Chapman was quoted by
Australian AAP news agency saying I think that there would be some particularly devout
groups who would find the idea that there were pig products in cigarettes to be very
offensive
 "The Jewish community certainly takes these matters extremely seriously and the Islamic
community certainly do as well, as (so) would many vegetarians. It just puts into hard relief
the problem that the tobacco industry is not required to declare the ingredients of cigarettes
... they say 'that's our business' and a trade secret." said Chapman.

One cigarette brand in Greece was a confirmed user of Pig Hemoglobin in its production
process. Considering that the Jews and Muslims consider the consumption of pork opposed
to their core beliefs this new research finding is sure to shake a few feathers.

As a smoker of the Jewish or Islamic faith you would like to know if this ingredient is used in
processing your cigarette, but tobacco companies do not provide these details. In voluntary
disclosures of contents of their products they include undisclosed processing aids and
these are said to be, not significantly present in, and do not functionally affect, the finished
product"

So in effect there is no way for you to know what really goes into the production of your
cigarette.

Warning to religious
groups after traces of pig's
blood found in cigarette
filters
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
UPDATED: 16:12 GMT, 30 March 2010

21
View comments

An Australian professor has warned religious groups that cigarette filters

may contain traces of pig's blood.
Simon Chapman said recent Dutch research has identified 185 different
industrial uses for a pig - including the use of haemoglobin in cigarette
filters.
The University of Sydney professor said the study offered an insight into
the world of cigarette manufacturing and was likely to spark concerns for
devout Muslims and Jews.

Concerns: Dutch research has found that the haemoglobin in pig's blood is used by some tobacco manufacturers in cigarette filters

'I think that there would be some particularly devout groups who would
find the idea that there were pig products in cigarettes to be very
offensive,' he told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.
'The Jewish community certainly takes these matters extremely seriously
and the Islamic community certainly do as well, as would many
vegetarians.
'It just puts into hard relief the problem that the tobacco industry is not
required to declare the ingredients of cigarettes - they say "that's our
business and a trade secret".'
The research found pig haemoglobin - a blood protein - was being used
to make the filters more effective at blocking toxic chemicals before they
entered a smoker's lungs.
Professor Chapman said that although some tobacco companies had
voluntarily published a list of the contents in their cigarettes on websites,
they also noted undisclosed 'processing aids' in the finished product.
At least one brand of cigarettes sold in Greece has been confirmed to be
using pig haemoglobin in its manufacturing processes, he added.
Professor Chapman said: 'If you're a smoker and you're of Islamic or
Jewish faith then you'd probably want to know and there is no way of
finding out.'

Gelatin is used for different reasons in a variety of foods.

Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
What You Should Know About Gelatin:
by Chris Daniels, Demand Media

Overview
Gelatin is an extract from the protein collagen found in the connective tissue of animals. Other than just being used
in jellied desserts, you can find gelatin in many food including candies, desserts, cheese, processed meats,
beverages, protein supplements and gel capsules. Gelatin can protect foods or pills, add protein and enhance
appealing physical properties such as clarity, mouth feel and shelf life. Gelatin is generally recognized as safe --
normally abbreviated as GRAS -- by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Next Slide
Gelatin is derived from the protein collagen.
Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
Where Does the Gelatin You Eat Come From?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (2/11)
All gelatin is derived from the connective tissue of animals. Sources include crushed bones and skins from cattle,
pigs and fish. These sources are treated to isolate the collagen protein and break it into pieces, a chemical process
called hydrolysis. Gelatin is then sterilized, dried to powder and separated into fractions with different physical
properties.

Next Slide

Pig skins are used to produce edible gelatin.

Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Come From Pig Skin?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (3/11)
Pig skin, or pork skin, is one of the major sources of edible gelatin produced for American consumption. These pork
skins would normally be discarded as waste from meat-processing facilities. Instead, the fat and hair are removed
and the skins are shipped frozen to a plant that extracts collagen protein from the skins, turning them into gelatin
primarily for use in foods.

Next Slide

Gelatin contains all of the essential amino acids your body needs.
Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Need Protein to Solidify?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (4/11)
Gelatin is almost entirely protein. Individual molecules of collagen link to give structure to your skin and connective
tissue. The fragments of collagen in gelatin continue to interact as they are cooled. The protein is dissolvable in
water, and the bonds between the collagen fragments are broken by heating. You do not need to add additional
protein to have gelatin solidify when cooled.

Next Slide
Don't confuse gelatin with other thickeners such as corn starch.
Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Have Starches?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (5/11)
Starches -- for example, corn starch -- can also be used to thicken foods but are very different from gelatin. Gelatin
does not contain starches and is essentially free of carbohydrates. Most foods that use gelatin for thickening or other
enhancement of physical properties will not have starches added for these same purposes.

Next Slide

Gluten is found primarily in wheat, barley and rye.

Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Contain Gluten?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (6/11)
Gluten is a protein found in wheat that some people are allergic to. Gelatin itself is gluten-free. Gelatin is derived
only from animal sources and does not naturally contain gluten. However, wheat-based feeds may be eaten by these
animals. Gluten is naturally broken down by the enzymes in the intestines; fresh meats and other animal products
used to produce gelatin are gluten-free, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Next Slide

Gelatin is essentially free of potassium.

Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Have a Lot of Potassium?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (7/11)
Potassium is an essential mineral that controls fluid balance and electrical activity in your body. The final
concentrations in gelatin are very low. Gelatin contains less than 1 percent of its mass as minerals such as potassium,
according to gelatin expert Dr. Bernard Cole. For example, 5 grams of gelatin would contain less than 5 milligrams
of minerals, only a portion of which is potassium.

Next Slide

Gelatin is completely broken down before entering your blood.

Chad Baker/Photodisc/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Thicken Your Blood?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (8/11)
It is important that your blood flows freely throughout your body to deliver nutrients. Though gelatin thickens food,
it does not do the same to your blood. Composed primarily of protein, gelatin is broken down by enzymes called
proteases in your small intestines. The individual amino acids -- the building blocks of protein -- are then absorbed
into your bloodstream where they can be used by your body.

Next Slide
Gelatin is found as the coating on many capsules.
Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
Where Can I Get Vitamin D Without Gelatin?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (9/11)
Gelatin is used to create capsules for many pharmaceutical and dietary supplements. Vitamin D is fat-based. It is
only found as an oil and is usually found as a gelatin-coated liquid capsule. Some companies produce gel caps with a
vegetarian gelatin alternative. Unfortunately, few foods contain vitamin D naturally, such as fatty fish. However,
milk is fortified with vitamin D in most industrialized countries, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.

Next Slide

Gelatin is used for different reasons in a variety of foods.
Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
What You Should Know About Gelatin:
by Chris Daniels, Demand Media

Overview
Gelatin is an extract from the protein collagen found in the connective tissue of animals. Other than just being
used in jellied desserts, you can find gelatin in many food including candies, desserts, cheese, processed meats,
beverages, protein supplements and gel capsules. Gelatin can protect foods or pills, add protein and enhance
appealing physical properties such as clarity, mouth feel and shelf life. Gelatin is generally recognized as safe --
normally abbreviated as GRAS -- by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Next Slide

Gelatin is derived from the protein collagen.

Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
Where Does the Gelatin You Eat Come From?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (2/11)
All gelatin is derived from the connective tissue of animals. Sources include crushed bones and skins from cattle,
pigs and fish. These sources are treated to isolate the collagen protein and break it into pieces, a chemical process
called hydrolysis. Gelatin is then sterilized, dried to powder and separated into fractions with different physical
properties.

Next Slide
 Sponsored Link

Start Download - PDF Now www.fromdoctopdf.com

Convert From Doc to PDF, PDF to Doc Simply With The Free On-line App!

Pig skins are used to produce edible gelatin.

Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Come From Pig Skin?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (3/11)
Pig skin, or pork skin, is one of the major sources of edible gelatin produced for American consumption. These
pork skins would normally be discarded as waste from meat-processing facilities. Instead, the fat and hair are
removed and the skins are shipped frozen to a plant that extracts collagen protein from the skins, turning them
into gelatin primarily for use in foods.

Next Slide
Sponsored Link

A Vegan Diet www.recipehub.com

 Get Diet Recipes & Much More! Free RecipeHub Toolbar

Gelatin contains all of the essential amino acids your body needs.
Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Need Protein to Solidify?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (4/11)
Gelatin is almost entirely protein. Individual molecules of collagen link to give structure to your skin and
connective tissue. The fragments of collagen in gelatin continue to interact as they are cooled. The protein is
dissolvable in water, and the bonds between the collagen fragments are broken by heating. You do not need to
add additional protein to have gelatin solidify when cooled.

Next Slide
Sponsored Link

Download Now mediaplayer10.com

Play Any Video With MediaPlayer10. Free To Install & Use Forever!

Don't confuse gelatin with other thickeners such as corn starch.
Jupiterimages/BananaStock/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Have Starches?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (5/11)
Starches -- for example, corn starch -- can also be used to thicken foods but are very different from gelatin.
Gelatin does not contain starches and is essentially free of carbohydrates. Most foods that use gelatin for
thickening or other enhancement of physical properties will not have starches added for these same purposes.

Next Slide

Gluten is found primarily in wheat, barley and rye.
Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Contain Gluten?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (6/11)
Gluten is a protein found in wheat that some people are allergic to. Gelatin itself is gluten-free. Gelatin is derived
only from animal sources and does not naturally contain gluten. However, wheat-based feeds may be eaten by
these animals. Gluten is naturally broken down by the enzymes in the intestines; fresh meats and other animal
products used to produce gelatin are gluten-free, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Next Slide

Gelatin is essentially free of potassium.
Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Have a Lot of Potassium?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (7/11)
Potassium is an essential mineral that controls fluid balance and electrical activity in your body. The final
concentrations in gelatin are very low. Gelatin contains less than 1 percent of its mass as minerals such as
potassium, according to gelatin expert Dr. Bernard Cole. For example, 5 grams of gelatin would contain less than
5 milligrams of minerals, only a portion of which is potassium.

Next Slide

Gelatin is completely broken down before entering your blood.
Chad Baker/Photodisc/Getty Images
Does Gelatin Thicken Your Blood?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (8/11)
It is important that your blood flows freely throughout your body to deliver nutrients. Though gelatin thickens
food, it does not do the same to your blood. Composed primarily of protein, gelatin is broken down by enzymes
called proteases in your small intestines. The individual amino acids -- the building blocks of protein -- are then
absorbed into your bloodstream where they can be used by your body.

Next Slide

Gelatin is found as the coating on many capsules.
Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
Where Can I Get Vitamin D Without Gelatin?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (9/11)
Gelatin is used to create capsules for many pharmaceutical and dietary supplements. Vitamin D is fat-based. It is
only found as an oil and is usually found as a gelatin-coated liquid capsule. Some companies produce gel caps
with a vegetarian gelatin alternative. Unfortunately, few foods contain vitamin D naturally, such as fatty fish.
However, milk is fortified with vitamin D in most industrialized countries, according to the Office of Dietary
Supplements.

Next Slide

Avoid gelatin when eating vegetarian.
Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images
Can Vegetarians Eat Foods That Contain Gelatin?
What You Should Know About Gelatin (10/11)
All gelatin comes from animal sources and should be avoided if you choose to eat an animal-free diet. Vegetarian
alternatives to gelatin include agar-agar and carrageen, substances derived from different varieties of seaweed.
Kosher gelatin is typically derived from these and other plant-based sources and is acceptable for those on a
vegetarian or vegan diet, according to PeTa.org.

Next Slide

Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world, but typical feeding practices give it a

high omega-6 (n-6) to omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid ratio and make it a poor source of n-3 fatty acids.

Feeding pigs n-3 fatty acids can increase their contents in pork, and in countries where label claims

are permitted, claims can be met with limited feeding of n-3 fatty acid enrich feedstuffs, provided

contributions of both fat and muscle are included in pork servings. Pork enriched with n-3 fatty acids

is, however, not widely available. Producing and marketing n-3 fatty acid enriched pork requires

regulatory approval, development costs, quality control costs, may increase production costs, and

enriched pork has to be tracked to retail and sold for a premium. Mandatory labelling of the n-6/n-3

ratio and the n-3 fatty acid content of pork may help drive production of n-3 fatty acid enriched pork,

and open the door to population-based disease prevention polices (i.e., food tax to provide incentives

to improve production practices). A shift from the status-quo, however, will require stronger signals

along the value chain indicating production of n-3 fatty acid enriched pork is an industry priority.
INTRODUCTION

In recent years, awareness of the importance of diet in human health has increased. During
the last two decades, nutritionists have clearly identified selected foods that play an
important role in maintaining the physical and mental health status of consumers. Beyond
meeting nutritional needs, it is generally recognized that dietary factors are considered to
modulate the detrimental development of certain chronic diseases (Anjum et al., 2013).

Regarding the lipid component of the diet, specific advice ( Gibney, 1993) is to reduce the intake
of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and to increase the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids
(PUFAs). Numerous epidemiological and clinical studies have documented the nutritional
benefits of PUFAs to prevent the incidence of cardiovascular diseases ( Wijendran & Hayes, 2004) and
cancer pathogenesis (Larsson et al., 2004). In addition, the increased intake of PUFAs decreases
serum cholesterol, which has a beneficial effect on blood pressure, skin diseases, diabetes,
thrombosis, atherosclerosis, and hyperlipidemia (Yashodhara et al., 2009).

Diets rich in PUFAs have been shown to reduce plasma levels of low density lipoproteins
(LDL), without decreasing high density lipoproteins (HDL), leading to a simultaneous decline
of oxidized LDL (Noori et al., 2009; Stein et al., 2008).

In addition, the dietary introduction of PUFAs is very important during neonatal and aging
periods (Noble & Cocchi, 1989; Innis, 1991; Pnzes et al., 1993). As a result, there are increasing moves to
enhance the levels of these fatty acids (FAs) in major human dietary components. Although
it is the balance of FAs in the total diet that is physiologically important, attempts have been
made to change many individual foods in line with the new dietary guidelines, to make them
more attractive to consumers (Wood & Enser, 1997). The FAs profile of the diet has been
extensively examined in monogastric animal research, in view of the possibility of adjusting
the FAs composition of animal meat and fat to produce healthier foods for human
consumption (Averette Gatlin et al., 2003; Rentfrow et al., 2003).

As a large proportion of the saturated fat intake in Western society arises from animal fat, a
greater degree of unsaturation of the pork meat lipid fraction is therefore expected to have
a general positive impact on human health (Cardenia et al., 2011). The pork meat market has, in
the past few years, been subjected to several changes influenced by consumer demands,
which have addressed the production towards leaner and healthier meat. Special strategies
have been undertaken to modify the lipid fraction of pork meat, which is known to greatly
affect its overall quality. Lipid composition of pork meat varies depending on the muscle
type and fibre, and it is influenced by many factors, such as animal genotype and feeding
(Wood et al., 2004). Recently, swine feed has been formulated with a higher content of natural
sources of PUFAs, such as n3 series or conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), due to human health
concerns (Boselli et al., 2008).

Several researchers have studied the effect of diets supplemented with a high PUFAs
content on fresh pork meat lipids. Diets enriched with vegetable oils (such as sunflower oil,
soybean oil or corn oil) that contain an elevated PUFAs percentage should result in healthier
products for consumers (Mitchaothai et al., 2007). Therefore, interests have been focused on
supplementing diets with PUFAs to increase the tissue deposition of PUFAs and to improve
the health status of meat consumers.

Unfortunately, despite numerous scientific papers that describe the beneficial effects of
PUFAs in the body, an increasing number of studies have clearly demonstrated the harmful
effects of polyunsaturated fat in the diet on the oxidative status of animals ( Ferguson & Harris,
1999
; Knudsen et al., 1993). In fact, PUFAs are the most vulnerable to the attack of free radicals,
which induce lipid peroxidation. A diet containing linseed oil (rich in PUFAs), induced
oxidative stress by significantly increasing not only the plasma malondialdehyde (MDA)
concentration and urinary MDA excretion, but also by increasing the rate of leukocyte DNA
damage in pigs (Rezar et al., 2003). Several human studies have also shown enhanced production
of nitric oxide after dietary PUFAs supplementation. In fact, significant evidence of oxidative
stress in vivo, caused by a high content of linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 n-6) in the diet, was
observed in healthy subjects, despite their intake and plasma levels of antioxidants being
within recommendations (Turpeinen et al., 1998).

In the case of animals, such as pigs, reared for the production of meat for human
consumption, a greater degree of FAs unsaturation increases the susceptibility of fresh meat
towards oxidation (Boselli et al., 2008). Lipid oxidation in meat products is mainly initiated in the
highly unsaturated phospholipid fraction of cell membranes, which contain other
unsaturated liposoluble molecules, such as cholesterol, which are also prone to oxidation
(Boselli et al., 2005).

Furthermore, in fresh meat, PUFAs diet supplementation resulted in an undesirable flavour,

an undesirable meat colour and nutrient loss due to peroxidation of these FAs ( Byrne et al., 2001).
Lipid oxidation is therefore the limiting factor for PUFAs to serve as nutritionally beneficial
lipids in functional foods (Chaiyasit et al., 2007). However, the oxidative stability of muscle tissue
also depends on the anti/pro-oxidant balance (Decker & Xu, 1998), so dietary supplementation
with antioxidants might increase the oxidative stability of pork lipids (Boselli et al., 2008; Eder et al.,
;
2005 Guo et al., 2006
).

To counteract the oxidative processes in PUFAs-enriched meat, adequate protection must be

implemented to ensure stable quality of fresh meat and a longer shelf-life of the meat.
However, problems were found to arise when synthetic free radical scavengers, such as
butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, propyl gallate, and tertiary
butylhydroquinone were involved, due to their potential deleterious effects on human health
(Decker & Mei, 1996). Thus, researchers have focused special attention on natural antioxidants
that may be included in animal diets, as alternatives to minimize the use of synthetic food
additives.

The scientific literature offers a wide range of examples of food and feed including
antioxidant supplements, which resulted in a reduction of lipid peroxidation ( ONeill et al.,
; ;
1999 Grau et al., 2001 Syago-Ayerdi et al., 2009
). Recent studies have shown, for example, that the juice
of red grapes contains antioxidant substances, which are considered as being effective in
preventing chronic-degenerative diseases in humans and animals (Geleijnse et al., 2002; Lamont et al.,
;
2012 Williamson & Holst, 2008
). Specific investigations carried out into red grapes and their juice
have demonstrated that the antioxidant and anti-radical activity could be directly correlated
with the complex matrix of polyphenols within the red grapes ( Brenna & Pagliarini, 2001; De Beer et al.,
;
2003 Auger et al., 2004
).

The high resistance against lipid oxidation of meat from animal fed red grape by products
have been shown in poultry (Brenes et al., 2008; Smet et al., 2008), in rabbits (Choi et al., 2010), and in
ruminants (Luciano et al., 2011; Rivas-Caedo et al., 2013).

Furthermore, scientific research has correlated polyphenols, contained in plants used in the
human diet, with a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and inhibition of some types of
cancer (Donaldson, 2004).
In this work, we intend to evaluate the possible effect of a red wine solids (RWS) obtained
by freeze-drying organic red wine, which is alcohol-free and possesses a high content of
phenolic compounds (Liofenol TM). These antioxidants are not only beneficial due to their
intrinsic properties, but can also safeguard PUFAs from possible peroxidation. The RWS
chemical composition in terms of total polyphenols, anthocyanins, total flavonoids,
proanthocyanidins and flavans, and its antioxidant power has been reported in a previous
work by Peiretti et al. (2013). The RWS supplementation of the corn oil diet should provide a good
protection of the meat from oxidation.

The aim of our study was to compare the effect on FAs profiles and the quality of fresh meat
of three groups of pigs fed different diets, containing palm oil (rich in SFA), corn oil (rich in
PUFAs) and corn oil supplemented with RWS, respectively. Assuming that the substitution of
palm oil with corn oil in the diet could result in an increase of peroxidation products in fresh
pork.