Cold induced toughening in excised pork as affected by pH, R value and time at boning

Area of Science:

• Meat Science
• Food Technology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Cold toughening is a significant issue affecting meat quality.
• Early excision of cuts may alter toughening characteristics.
• Understanding factors influencing meat tenderness is crucial for the pork industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the cold toughening potential of early excised porcine M. longissimus dorsi.
• To compare early excision and chilling methods with conventional cold boning.
• To identify key parameters affecting tenderness in early excised cuts.

Main Methods:

• Studied porcine M. longissimus dorsi from 87 carcasses with varying post-mortem glycolytic rates.
• Measured pH, R value, and time at boning for early excised and conventionally processed cuts.
• Evaluated tenderness after fast chilling (ice water) or air chilling (2-4°C).

Main Results:

• Cold toughening in fast-chilled, early excised cuts was significantly influenced by pH, R value, and time at boning.
• The R value was identified as the primary factor predicting tenderness variations.
• Air chilling of early excised cuts resulted in tenderness comparable to conventional cold boning.

Conclusions:

• The R value is a critical predictor for assessing cold toughening risk in early excised pork cuts.
• Air chilling at 2-4°C mitigates cold toughening in early excised cuts, offering a viable alternative to conventional processing.
• Optimizing chilling methods for early excised cuts can maintain desirable meat tenderness.