Mineral composition and toxic element levels of muscle, liver and kidney of intensive (Swedish Landrace) and extensive (Mangulica) pigs from Serbia

ABSTRACT

Mineral composition (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Se, Cr, Co, Ni, Na, K, Mg, Ca) and toxic element levels (Cd, Pb, Hg, As) of soil, feed and tissue (muscle, liver and kidney) from intensive (Swedish Landrace, housed indoors, fed a known diet, 4 years) and extensive (Mangulica, free-roaming, non-specified diet, 7–8 months) pigs were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Controlled nutrition produced pigs with higher concentrations of most minerals (muscle: Mn, Se, K, Mg; liver: Zn, Cu, Mn, Se, Cr, Ca; kidney: Zn, Cu, Mn, Se, K, Mg), but for Fe the opposite trend was found. Long-term free-ranging pigs have a higher risk of contamination by toxic elements (Cd exceeded the maximum residue level in kidney). Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used to assess the effect of different pig breed/lifestyle (pig type) on element composition of muscle, liver and kidney of pigs. Multivariate data analysis showed good discriminating capabilities.

KEYWORDS:

• Mineral composition
• toxic elements
• muscle
• liver
• kidney
• pig

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors gratefully appreciate the support received from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia [projects numbers 172007, III 46009 and TR 31055].