Effect of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) Supplementation on Pork Offal Quality

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Due to their natural origin and a wide range of positive effects on the body, herbs and spices are currently becoming commonly used as a nonantibiotic component of pig rations. There is research evidence to confirm health-promoting effects of milk thistle on humans and animals. The greatest effects are seen for the liver, i.e., protection from toxins and regeneration. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of adding milk thistle seeds on the quality of edible internal organs from the fatteners, which are used in food production as offal. We suggest that our study shows room for improvement of offal quality and may have a positive impact on consumer awareness in the context of offal consumption. ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of milk thistle supplementation of fattener pig feeds on physical and chemical properties of pork offal. The experiments were conducted on 60 fatteners (group C—control (30 pigs) and group E—experimental (30 pigs)). The experimental group was supplemented with ground milk thistle (Silybum marianum) at 7 g/kg feed. The offal (tongues, kidneys, hearts, lungs and livers) was analyzed for weight, pH, WHC, water, protein, fat, energy value, fatty acid profile and content of major and trace elements. The present study shows that milk thistle added to fattener pig diets increased pH45 and pH24 values in most of the analyzed offal and significantly (p ≤ 0.01) decreased the weight of heart and lungs and increased the weight of liver and kidneys. Hearts, lungs and kidneys of the experimental group contained more fat and the liver less, than the same offal of the control group. As regards the content of elements, the dietary supplement most often had an effect on the heart and lungs. In general, milk thistle supplemented in fattener diets had modified the physical parameters and chemical composition of the analyzed products.