Determination of mineral contents of semimembranosus muscle and liver from pure and crossbred pigs in Vojvodina (northern Serbia)

The content of phosphorous (P), potassium (K), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) was investigated in the M. semimembranosus and liver of 69 pigs from 10 different genetic lines, produced in Vojvodina (northern Serbia). Phosphorous was determined by the standard spectrophotometric method. Metals were determined by the flame atomic absorption spectrometry after mineralisation by dry ashing. The difference in the mineral content among the different genetic lines of pigs, reared under the same conditions, was not significant (P > 0.05) in the analysed muscle and liver tissues. The order of the minerals in the meat samples and their content ranges in mg/100 g was K (214–328, on average 280) > P (200–263, on average 225) > Na (39.0–82.7, on average 59.8) > Mg (24.4–29.4, on average 26.6) > Ca (9.8–15.5, on average 11.8) > Zn (2.30–3.29, on average 2.70) > Fe (1.00–2.79, on average 1.42) > Cu (0.18–0.49, on average 0.32) > Mn (0.018–0.038, on average 0.025). Likewise, the order of the minerals in the liver samples and their content ranges in mg/100 g was P (336–448, on average 383) > K (156–306, on average 217) > Na (56.1–126.3, on average 82.2) > Mg (20.8–36.6, on average 25.7) > Ca (15.9–31.1, on average 20.4) > Fe (16.65–30.93, on average 21.78) > Zn (6.32–15.99, on average 9.82) > Cu (0.72–3.06, on average 1.61) > Mn (0.23–0.51, on average 0.35). A higher content of K and Mg was found in the muscle than in the liver tissue, with a highly significant difference for K (P < 0.001). The contents of P, Na, Ca, Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the liver tissue than those in the muscle tissue. The Vojvodian pork meat showed higher Cu and Mn contents, while the Vojvodian pork liver showed a higher Ca content compared with the values found in other countries.