In the last few years, has been growing a huge interest in the fat content of the nutrients due to the relationship between many studies made on diets with high percentage of saturated fatty acids and heart diseases. Limiting the input of saturated fatty acids and consuming large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly those of ω3-PUFA series [acid α-linoleic, EPA (C20:5 ω-3), DHA (C22:6 ω-3), acids of the CLA series] have as a result the reduction of the heart pathologies, the increase of the immunological, anti-inflammatory and against cancer defenses; the cerebral and visual system development of fetus. Our studies were based on evaluating the nutritional characteristics and the nutraceutical propriety of podolian meat with a particular attention on the content of fatty acids of the series mentioned before. For this reason, we compared all the results taken by the analysis of samples of Longissimus dorsi of podolian bulls slaughtered at 14 or 18 months of age, reared in groups of 6 animals with two different systems (indoor rearing-system and semi free-range). Their comparison shows that, generally, the content of fatty acids of the ω3-PUFA series is higher on the animals reared with the semi-free range, both on 14 and 18 months of age, trend showed by the raw and the cooked samples.

A phenomenon that has involved the pig industry of our country is the recovery of autochthonous species as part of our cultural heritage, essential for the conservation, the landscape protection and the productive recovery of various areas. These autochthonous species are exploited for the production of local sausages as well as for fresh meat consumption. This fact has stimulated the meat market and discovered new horizons in the meat industry by giving more value at wild ungulates such as wild boar because it adapts to indoor rearing systems and its meat is required by restaurants, by industries of meat transformation, as it represents a viable alternative “traditional meat” to be consumed fresh. This research aims to compare the quantitative and qualitative aspects of carcasses and meat of wild boars and black swine from Basilicata, reared in captivity. 12 male animals were used, including 6 wild boars and 6 black pigs from Basilicata, slaughtered at 270 days of age. Every carcass was divided into two halves and the right part was divided into major cuts which, therefore, were subdivide in lean, fat and bone. On every Longissimus dorsi” of all the subjects were evaluated the pH1, the pH24, the colorimetric indexes, the shear force and the cooking loss. Raw and cooked samples were analyzed for their chemical composition and on the extracted fat was determined the acidic composition by the use of gas- chromatography. All data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance and differences between the estimated averages were assessed with the “t” of Student. The black pigs of Basilicata, compared to wild boars, showed higher and significant increases in daily and final live weights. They have provided heavier and longer half- carcasses with a higher drop of refrigeration and a better yield of slaughtering. In wild boar, it was found a lower incidence of cuts like this of ham, loin, shoulder and chest. Pigs have a ham with a higher percentage of fat, while the loin of wild boars is fatter and richer in lean and fat. Pigs‟ Longissimus dorsi is more yellow and has a lower shear force both in raw and cooked meat. It was not found any significant difference in raw chemical composition which seems not to be influenced by the genotype. As far as regards the chemical composition of the cooked samples, this of pigs is more watery, less protein and less fatty. The total content of saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, unsaturated fatty acids, ω6 and the thrombogenicity index seem to be indifferent by animal genotype. However, the fat of pigs, in relation to that of wild boar, shows higher percentages of ω3 and a higher atherogenicity index, while the ω6/ω3 ratio is higher in wild boars. Same trend but without statistical significance is found, also, in cooked fat.

La nota superiore qualità gastronomica delle carni di selvaggina, in particolare di quelle di cinghiale, è stata confermata dai risultati sperimentali ottenuti sia dai ricercatori del Dipartimento di Scienze Agro–Ambientali e Territoriali dell’Università degli Studi di Bari sia da altri studiosi di altre istituzioni di ricerca. Dai risultati ottenuti nelle condizioni sperimentali operative emerge una normale superiorità dei suini neri di Basilicata rispetto ai cinghiali, non solo per quanto concerne gli aspetti produttivi in vita, i rilievi alla macellazione e la composizione delle mezzene, ma anche per diversi parametri di qualità delle carni. Infatti quelle dei suini, anche se sono più acquose, sono più luminose e meno rosse, meno resistenti e presentano un grasso dotato di maggiori percentuali di w3 e un miglior rapporto w6/w3.