Abstract
In pigs, creatine is synthesized mainly in the liver, kidneys and pancreas from amino acids such as glycine, arginine and methionine. It is located mainly in skeletal muscle (approximately 95-98%) in the form of phosphocreatine. It is a source of energy for muscles, thus delaying the postmortem metabolism of glycogen and lactate formation and a decrease in pH during conversion of muscle to meat. Use of supplemental creatine monohydrate in pig feed may contribute to the improvement of pork quality parameters such as pH, colour, water holding capacity and drip loss. These parameters are also improved in pigs carrying the RN- and RYR1T gene. Creatine contained in meat can also be a precursor of heterocyclic aromatic amines mutagenic to humans, formed during thermal processing of meat.