PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES IN THE SYNTHESIS OF YELLOW FAT IN GRAZING BEEF CATTLE
Main Article Content
Keywords
bovines, adipose tissue, β-carotene, adipocytes.
Abstract
Objective: To review the physiological processes in the synthesis of yellow fat in grazing beef cattle.
Design/methodology/approach: The present work consisted in conducting a search of scientific articles in SCOPUS and ScienceDirect using the keywords: bovine, adipose tissue, ?-carotene, adipocytes.
Results: The yellow fat in cattle carcasses is mainly due to the accumulation of ?-carotenes contained in forages. This problem is common in cattle fattened under grazing. Low amounts of carotenoids are degraded in the rumen, most reach the intestine, and are transported by lipoproteins to the blood and stored in adipose tissue. The adipocyte presents a series of physiological events with the carotenoids, not well-understood so far; however, the carotenoids are stored inside the adipocyte as triacylglycerols, and they are also stored in the cell membranes, being found in greater quantity in the lipid drop. Carotenoids are found in higher concentration in abdominal adipose tissue.
Study limitations/implications: Yellow fat is caused by the accumulation of carotenoids in adipocytes. ?-carotenes are mainly responsible for giving the yellow coloration to the fat, which represents a problem in the commercialization of carcasses.
Findings/conclusions: The amount of ?-carotenes that is degraded in the rumen is low, and consequently they are stored in the adipocyte by a series of biochemical processes not well-understood so far.
