A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed
for the analysis of
skatole and indole in porcine tissue and serum samples. The
sensitivity of the method for tissue
and serum samples was 1 ng/g and 0.1 ng/mL, respectively. The
skatole content in adipose tissue
(fat) was higher (p < 0.0001) in boars (median 39 ng/g,
n = 91) than in barrows (24 ng/g, n =
96)
or gilts (17 ng/g, n = 85). The corresponding levels
of skatole in serum were 1.9, 1.4, and 1.1 ng/mL, respectively. Significant correlations (p < 0.0001)
were found between boar serum and fat
levels of skatole (r = 0.90) and indole (r =
0.65). Elevated skatole levels were found exclusively
in
boars, of which 9.9% exceeded the 200 ng/g limit in fat. Skatole
concentrations were 8-fold lower
in the salivary glands than in the fat samples, and they were (p
< 0.0001) correlated with both fat
and serum concentrations. On the basis of the close correlation
between fat and serum skatole
levels, it is proposed that serum measurements could be used for
routine assessment of skatole in
pork meat, a factor contributing to boar taint.
Keywords: HPLC; skatole; indole; boar taint; pigs
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