Denver, CO - Feeding junk food to pigs makes for tastier pork, researchers say.
Ohio State University researchers turned potato chips destined for the landfill into pelleted feed for more than 250 pigs. The result was juicier, more tender chops.
The finding was reported at this week's national meeting of the American Society of Animal Science and American Dairy Science Association at the Colorado Convention Center.
Researchers said they decided to feed the pigs chips (sour cream and onion and barbecue) because of their high fat content. The chips, about 33% fat, have the energy the piglets need to pack on pounds.
"It's a good way of dealing with excess food items, with some people trying things like cookies, bakery items and even pretzels," said Ron Borton of Ohio State's Agricultural Technical Institute.
Corn-based feeds are the traditional means of fattening hogs, but corn can be expensive.
For the experiment, Shearer's Potato Chips of Brewster, Ohio, donated chips deemed too dark, too broken or beyond their expiration date.
Within a week of being weaned at 3 weeks of age, the piglets were snacking. Some were placed on a 12.5% potato chip diet, while others went were at 25%.
The research showed pigs on the 25% potato chip diet ate less because of high salt and fat content. That increased feed efficiency, but it also meant the pigs took up to two weeks longer to get ready for market.
A group of faculty and staff tasters reported no sign of chip flavor in the meat.
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