• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.286-292
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of freezing and thawing methods on the quality of pork meat. The freezing methods for pork meat were the cryogenic freezing with liquid nitrogen gas, fast freezing at $-70^{\circ}C$ and normal freezing at $-20^{\circ}C$. The thawing methods were tested on low temperature thawing at refrigerative temperature($4^{\circ}C$), room temperature($20^{\circ}C$), high temperature($60^{\circ}C$) and using microwave. The quality of pork meat frozen by cryogenic methods was better than those of fast and normal freezing methods. The cooking hardness of pork meat frozen by cryogenic method showed the highest value as 1,898 g. In case of fast freezing, the hardness of pork meat was 1,472 g and that of normal frozen pork meat was 1,541 g. The high cooking hardness value of cryogenic frozen pork meat showed that the cryogenic freezing method made less freeze damage like textural softness. The drip-loss of pork meat thawed at refrigerative temperature($4^{\circ}C$), room temperature($20^{\circ}C$), high temperature($60^{\circ}C$) were shown lower than that of microwave thawing. The cooking hardness of pork meat that was thawed by microwave showed the lowest value among the thawing methods. The cryogenic freezing was the most useful freezing method for preserving quality, decreasing the freeze damage of pork meat. And thawing at refrigerative temperature was the most effective method to prevent quality loss and weight loss by drip-loss.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.307-311
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• 2009

This study examined variations in postmortem meat quality characteristics and consumer sensory evaluations of different pork quality classes in fresh and cooked meat. Pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) meat had the highest drip loss, lightness, and the lowest $pH_{24\;hr}$ whereas dark, firm, and dry (DFD) meat showed the opposite results. When the fresh meat was evaluated by consumer panelists, they could only distinguish the PSE class of meat and it scored lowest in overall acceptability. However, the panelists did not consider cooked PSE or DFD pork to be unacceptable overall, indicating that consumers cannot distinguish the quality of cooked pork.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1448-1457
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• 2019

Objective: The present work aimed at evaluating the effects of carcass quality grade (QG) on the quality characteristics of pork meat according to Korean carcass QG system. Methods: Pork carcasses with varying in QG: 1+ (QG1+, n = 10), 1 (QG1, n = 10) and 2 (QG2, n = 10), were used to evaluate the relationship between carcass QG and meat quality. The meat quality traits, fatty acid profiles, flavor compounds and sensory qualities were measured on the longissimus dorsi muscle samples of these carcasses. Results: Pork meat of higher QG (QG1+) presented significantly higher fat content (5.43%), C18:2n-6 level (19.03%) and total unsaturated fatty acids content (62.72%). Also, the QG1+ meat was significantly higher in levels of classes of flavor compounds such as aldehydes, alcohols and hydrocarbons in comparison to those of the meat samples from the lower QG groups. The sensory evaluation results (flavor, juiciness, tenderness, and acceptability scores) of QG1+ meat was significantly higher than the QG1 and QG2 meats. The pork with lower QG (i.e., QG2) was found positively correlated to redness (r = 0.987), C18:1n-9 level (r = 1.000) but negatively correlated to the fat content (r = -0.949), and flavor (r = -0.870), juiciness (r = -0.861), tenderness (r = -0.862) and acceptability (r = -0.815) scores. Conclusion: The pork with higher QG had higher fat content, total unsaturated fatty acids and better eating quality, thus producing pork with higher QGs should be considered in order to satisfy the consumer's expectation.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.412-424
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• 2024

Lairage, a part of the animal welfare practices, has been known to mitigate pre-slaughter stress in animals. However, research investigating the relationship between lairage and pork meat quality remains scarce. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the physicochemical quality and storage stability of pork from pigs subjected to immediate slaughter (CON) and those provided with a 24 h lairage before slaughter (LRG) over a 7-day storage period. The loins from 20 castrated pigs in each group, respectively, were collected at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days and used for analysis of meat quality and storage stability, including pH, meat color, moisture, water holding capacity, drip loss, cooking loss, shear force, fatty acid composition, lipid oxidation, antioxidant activity, and electrical resistance. Overall, there were no significant differences in physicochemical meat quality parameters between CON and LRG groups. Similarly, no differences were observed in the storage stability of pork including 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and electrical resistance. However, the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids was significantly higher in LRG compared to CON. In conclusion, 24 h lairage for castrated pigs had limited impact on meat quality and storage stability but led to an increase in the unsaturated fatty acid proportion.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.496-499
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• 2014

Korean traditional meat patties (Tteokgalbi) were prepared by replacing part of the lean meat content with either pork backfat or canola oil and the effect of substitution on sensory quality of the meat patties was investigated. Compared to the control patties, pork-loin Tteokgalbi with 10% pork backfat or 10% canola oil had significantly higher overall acceptability and higher perceived intensity of meat flavor, sweetness, umami, and oiliness. The pork-loin patties containing 10% fat also had lower perceived firmness, toughness, and chalkiness of than the control Tteokgalbi. The chicken breast Tteokgalbi with 10% canola oil had the lowest perceived firmness and chalkiness (control > pork backfat > canola oil). No significant difference was noted in the overall acceptability of chicken breast patties with 10% pork backfat and those with 10% canola oil. These results indicate that substituting 10% of lean meat of Tteokgalbi with fat improved the sensory acceptability of the product for Korean customers regardless of the lean meat and/or fat source used in the patties. Lean meat patties formulated with a limited amount of vegetable oil such as canola oil can be a healthy option for Korean consumers by providing desirable fatty acid profiles without sacrificing sensory quality of the product.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.884-891
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• 2021

The study aimed to evaluate pork loin quality after short-term (ten-day) storage in a supercooling refrigerator. Pork loin samples were stored for 10 days in a traditional refrigerator (control) and a commercially available supercooling refrigerator (SC). Pork quality measurements included meat pH, meat color, water holding capacity (drip loss and cooking loss), tenderness (hardness), and a sensory evaluation. Temperature changes of 0.45 ± 0.2℃ and 0.02 ± 0.25℃ occurred in the control and the SC, respectively, during 10 days of storage. The temperature in the SC chamber did not remain below freezing point, failing to meet expectations. Regarding the pork quality measurements, only the drip losses in the control and the SC were significantly different (4.45% vs. 2.59%, p < 0.01) after 10 days of storage. There were no significant differences between the two types of refrigerator in terms of the other measurements. Additionally, the overall acceptability of the pork loin did not vary significantly between the control and the SC when the sensory evaluation was performed. Therefore, a commercial SC could prove beneficial in terms of water holding capacity during the short-term storage of meat. Further research should be performed to evaluate quality changes that occur during long-term storage of meat in SC s and evaluate a wide range of meat, such as beef and chicken.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.244-252
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• 1999

Intensive selection for muscle development and against fat deposition in pigs during the last 50 years has contributed to the increased incidence of porcine stress syndrome (PSS) and pale soft exudative pork (PSE). Genetics, nutrition and management, preslaughter animal handling, stunning, dehairing and carcass chilling influence the incidence and magnitude of the PSE condition. The normal incidence of PSE has been reported to range from 10 to 30%, but in some isolated instances is up to 60%. The elimination of halothane-positive pigs in breeding programs has reduced PSS and PSE. Further improvements in meat quality by terminal sire evaluation and selection can be achieved within halothane-negative populations because around 20% of the variation in meat color and water binding capacity seems to be genetically related. Pre-slaughter handling on the farm, during transit to the packing plant and at the packing plant can greatly influence the meat quality, contributing 10 to 25% of the variation. An effective stunning method, skinning instead of scalding/dehairing and rapid post-slaughter chilling further reduce the incidence of PSE pork. In addition to proper care and handling a carcass-merit based marketing system, that reflected the value differential between desirable and undesirable meat quality in the pricing system for pigs, would provide a great incentive to change pork production systems in order to improve meat quality, thus improving the image and usefulness of pork as food.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.372-380
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• 2011

This study was conducted to assess meat quality and sensory properties of pork bellies from immunocastrated males (IC) compared to meat from surgically castrated males (SC), intact males (IM), and females (FE). Pork bellies from IC had significantly higher pH values than meat from either SC or FE. Pork bellies from IC showed lower CIE $L^*$ values than those from SC, but were redder (higher CIE $a^*$ values) than meat from SC or FE. However, no differences in visual color were observed between pork bellies from IC and SC pigs using National Pork Producer Council scales. Water holding capacity was higher in SC and FE than that in IC. IC showed no significant difference in cooking loss and shear force values compared with those of SC. Both SC and IC had improved fat content when compared to that in IM, and IC meat showed a similar fat content to that of FE. Pork bellies from IC showed higher ratings for all visual evaluation traits than those of SC and were the same as meat from FE. Boar odor was not significantly different among the treatments. IC was rated similar to SC for taste, tenderness, and overall acceptability.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.4_spc
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• pp.755-774
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• 2024

The main objective of this study was to present data on the current situation and future trends of pig meat production in the European Union-27 (EU). Pig production has played an important social and economic role for centuries in many states of the EU. In 2022, pig meat production in the EU reached 23 M tons, which represented 21% of total production worldwide. The two key reasons that justify such amount of pork produced, are the acceptance and high consumption of the meat by the local population and the high quality of the meat produced which facilitated pork export. However, current data show a reduction in pork production for the last three years, as a consequence of a series of events that include i) problems with the chain of ingredients supply, ii) uncontrolled increase in African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreaks, iii) fast recovery of pig production in China, iv) increasing concerns by the rural population on the high cost to meet future requirements of the EU legislation on farm management, environmental sustainability and animal welfare, v) increased cost of all inputs involved in pig production and vi) limited interest of the new farmer generation to work on the pig sector. Consequently, pork production is expected to decrease in the EU for the next years, although sales will be maintained at a relative high level because pork is the meat preferred by local consumers in most EU countries. In order to maintain the favourable position of the pork industry in the near future, strategies to implement include: i) maintain the quality of the meat destinated to export markets, ii) improve the control of outbreaks of ASF and other swine diseases, iii) implementation of technological innovations to improve working conditions making more attractive to work in the pork sector of the food chain to the new generation of farmers and workers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.640-650
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• 2020

Objective: Although the slaughter of cull sows (CS) for human consumption and meat products processing appears quite common throughout the world, relatively limited scientific information regarding the meat quality parameters of this pork type is available. The present study aimed at providing the technological quality characteristics and eating quality of CS meat, and comparing with those of commercial pork. Methods: Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle samples of CS and finisher pigs (FP) at 24 h postmortem were collected and used for investigation of the meat quality traits (pH, color, shear force, cooking loss, water holding capacity), fatty acids, flavor compounds and sensory characteristics. Results: The CS meat had significantly higher moisture content (p = 0.0312) and water holding capacity (p = 0.0213) together with lower cooking loss (p = 0.0366) compared to the FP meat. The CS meat also exhibited higher (p = 0.0409) contents of unsaturated fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, p = 0.0213) and more desirable PUFA/total saturated fatty acids ratio (p = 0.0438) compared to the FP meat. A total of 56 flavor compounds were identified, amongst the amount of 16 compounds differed significantly between the two pork groups. Most of the PUFA-derived flavor compounds (e.g., hexanal, benzaldehyde, and hydrocarbons) showed higher amounts in the CS meat. While, 3-(methylthio)-propanal and 4-methylthiazole associated with pleasant aromas (meaty and roast odor notes) were only found in the FP meat. Furthermore, no differences were reported by panelists for flavor, juiciness, tenderness, and acceptability scores between the two pork groups studied. Conclusion: The sow meat exhibited better technological quality and its eating quality could be comparable to the commercial pork. This study provides meat processors and traders with valuably scientific information which may help to improve the utilization and consumption level of sow meat.