Effects of Supplementing Growing–Finishing Crossbred Pigs with Glycerin, Vitamin C and Niacinamide on Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality

Simple Summary Improving the color and flavor of pork from commercial crossbred pigs using nutritional measures is a major issue that needs to be urgently addressed. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of supplementing the diets of growing–finishing pigs with glycerin and/or a mixture of vitamin C and niacinamide on carcass traits and pork quality. The results showed that the simultaneous supplementation of growing–finishing crossbred pigs with glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide can improve the color, flavor and nutritional value of pork by significantly increasing the redness (a*) value, glycerol content and myristoleic acid content of the longissimus dorsi; this is also achieved by numerically increasing the levels of flavor amino acids, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and erucic acid, as well as the percentage and density of type I myofibers in the longissimus dorsi and the semimembranosus muscle. Glycerin had a significant influence on the erucic acid content in the longissimus dorsi and the semimembranosus muscle, and the mixture of vitamin C and niacinamide had a significant interaction effect on the redness (a*) value of the longissimus dorsi. The glycerol content in the longissimus dorsi was significantly affected by glycerin, the interaction between vitamin C and niacinamide, and the interaction between glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide. This study is valuable in improving pork quality and increasing consumers’ desire to purchase these products. Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the influence of supplementing the diet of growing–finishing pigs with glycerin and/or a mixture of vitamin C and niacinamide on carcass traits and pork quality. Eighty-four weaned piglets with an initial average body weight of 20.35 ± 2.14 kg were assigned, at random, to four groups for a 103-day feeding experiment: control; glycerin-supplemented group; vitamin C and niacinamide-supplemented group; and glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide-supplemented group. At the end of the experiment, three pigs/group were randomly selected and slaughtered, and samples were collected for analysis. The results indicated that supplementing crossbred pigs with glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide simultaneously increased the redness (a*) value (p < 0.05), glycerol content (p < 0.01) and myristoleic acid content (p < 0.01) in the longissimus dorsi and tended to increase the level of flavor amino acids, linoleic acid, linolenic acid and erucic acid, as well as the percentage and density of type I myofibers in the longissimus dorsi and the semimembranosus muscle. Glycerin had an influence (p < 0.01) on the erucic acid content in the longissimus dorsi and the semimembranosus muscle, and vitamin C and niacinamide had an interaction effect (p < 0.05) on the redness (a*) value of the longissimus dorsi. Glycerin, vitamin C and niacinamide supplementation in the diet of crossbred pigs improved the color, flavor and nutritional value of pork, which contributed to an increased intent to purchase this product.