Influence of Kapok Oil on Fatty Acid Composition of Porcine Fat

Abstract

The influence of kapok oil in the diet on the fatty acid composition of porcine fat was investigated. Fifteen pure and cross-bred pigs were distributed into three groups of five pigs to consist of similar breed, sex and initial weight. The diets (14% crude protein and 75% TDN) supplemented with or without kapok oil were fed and the effect of varying levels of kapok oil was tested. The kapok oil was substituted for the defatted rice bran at levels of 0%, 0.02% and 0.08%. Pigs were reared from 55 to 95 kilograms of average live weight. Porcine fat samples were taken from the outer and inner layers of backfat, the kidney leaf fat and the abdominal fat for the determination of fatty acid composition using gas-liquid chromatography. When 0.08% supplemental kapok oil was added in the diet, the content of stearic acid increased and that of oleic acid decreased in back fat (inner layer) and abdominal fat. The melting-point of all the porcine fat samples used in the analysis rose. The fatty acid composition of abdominal fat was particularly influenced by feed-supplemented kapok oil.