Adult Ossabaw pigs prefer fermented sorghum tea over isocaloric sweetened water

Authors: NELSON, CATHERINE - Kansas State University; Aramouni, Fadi; GOERING, MIKAYLA - Kansas State University; BORTOLUZZI, EDUARDA - Kansas State University; Knapp, Laura; HERRERA-IBATA, DIANA - Kansas State University; KA WANG, LI - Kansas State University; JERMOUMI, RABIA - Indiana University School Of Medicine; HOOKER, JANE - Kansas State University; STURECK, JOSHUA&MICHAEL - Indiana University School Of Medicine; BYRD, JAMES - Indiana University School Of Medicine; WU, HUI - Kansas State University; TRINETTA, VALENTINA - Kansas State University; ALLOOSH, MOUHAMMAD - Indiana University School Of Medicine; DOURAKI, MAJED - Kansas State University; HULBERT, LINDSEY - Kansas State University

Submitted to: Animals
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/12/2023
Publication Date: 10/18/2023
Citation: Nelson, C.E., Aramouni, F.M., Goering, M.J., Bortoluzzi, E.M., Knapp, L.A., Herrera-Ibata, D.M., Ka Wang, L., Jermoumi, R., Hooker, J.A., Stureck, J., Byrd, J.P., Wu, H., Trinetta, V., Alloosh, M., Douraki, M.J., Hulbert, L.E. 2023. Adult Ossabaw pigs prefer fermented sorghum tea over isocaloric sweetened water. Animals. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13203253
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13203253

Interpretive Summary: A fermented sorghum tea has previously been proposed to improve satiety and health. A pig model will be used for future studies, but literature indicated that pigs will reject sour or bitter flavors, which are flavors that the fermented sorghum tea contains. This work shows that limit fed adult pigs not only have a high affinity for fermented sorghum tea, they also prefer the tea over the equally sweetened control solution. This is the first preference test showing that adult pigs will differ in preference and not reject sour or bitter flavors. Furthermore, future work using the adult pig as a model for understanding the health benefits of fermented sorghum tea will not be impeded by avoidance behaviors of adult pigs.

Technical Abstract: Potential health benefits may be associated with consumption of fermented sorghum tea using an adult pig model; however, literature reports that young pigs prefer sweet flavors over bitter and sour flavors and no known preference for flavors were cited for adult pigs. For experiment 1, the objective was to determine adult pig (n = 11; Ossabaw; age 15.6 ± 0.62 SD months) preference for one of three types of fermented sorghum tea (white vs. sumac vs. roasted sumac). For experiment 2, the objective was to determine if the same pigs would prefer the isocaloric control (+control; made isocaloric with sucrose) over fermented sorghum tea (3Tea; equal parts of white, sumac, and roasted sumac), or if pigs would avoid the 3Tea. Avoidance was tested using a negative control (-control; distilled water). Pigs were first conditioned to navigate a three-choice preference maze. For experiment 1, no clear preference behaviors for tea-type were observed (P > 0.10); Pigs consumed nearly all the teas, nevertheless pigs consumed the least amount of tea in the first session (P < 0.01). In experiment 2, -control was consumed the least (P < 0.01; 18.0% ± 2.97 SEM), however, +control and 3Tea and were consumed at similar volumes (96.6% vs. 99.0 %± 2.21 SEM, respectively). Pigs spent the most time with their heads in the bowl when 3Tea was offered, followed by +control (P < 0.01; 31.9 vs 27.6% ± 1.87 SEM % duration, respectively). Pigs spent the least amount of time with their heads in the bowl when –control was offered (5.6% ± 1.87 SEM % duration); Instead, they spent the time exploring (P < 0.05). Regardless of tea-type, adult pigs show a strong preference for fermented sorghum tea, even over the isocaloric control, which is sweetened water . Adult pigs likely prefer the complexity of flavors, rather than the sweetness alone. Future projects that explore the health benefits of this sorghum formula will not be impeded by avoidance among adult pigs.