Feeding silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) oil to growing rabbits improves the fatty acid composition of meat, liver and perirenal fat

Silkworm oil was used in a rabbit diet to evaluate its benefit on the fatty acid (FA) profile of different carcass portions. Two experimental diets were prepared: a control diet (commercial diet with 13 g/kg sunflower oil) and a silkworm oil diet (SWO) (commercial diet with 13 g/kg silkworm oil). Rabbits received the experimental diets the last three weeks before slaughter, which occurred at 10 weeks of age. At slaughter, hind leg meat, liver, and perirenal fat were sampled for FA profile analysis. The SWO diet significantly increased the n-3 FA of all three sampling sites and halved the n-6/n-3 ratio of hind leg meat and perirenal fat. Furthermore, the liver of SWO rabbits was also richer in C22:6 n-3 compared to that of control rabbits. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the total dietary replacement of sunflower oil with silkworm oil in fattening rabbits positively changed the FA profile of the considered carcass tissues.