Early postmortem electrical stimulation simulates PSE pork development.

Area of Science:

• Meat Science
• Animal Science
• Food Science

Background:

• Electrical stimulation (ES) is used in meat processing to improve meat quality.
• Understanding the optimal timing for ES is crucial for achieving desired meat characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of different postmortem timing of electrical stimulation (ES) on pork quality attributes.
• To determine the impact of ES on muscle pH, temperature, metabolite concentrations, and physical meat quality characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Carcasses from 64 gilts were subjected to ES at various time points (3-55 min postmortem) or left untreated (NS).
• Muscle temperature, pH, and glycolytic metabolite concentrations (glucose 6-phosphate, glycogen, lactate) were measured at multiple time points postmortem.
• Color, firmness, and water-holding capacity were assessed.

Main Results:

• ES applied within 25 min postmortem significantly lowered muscle pH and increased temperature, creating PSE-like (pale, soft, exudative) characteristics.
• Early ES (before 45 min) increased muscle lactate concentrations.
• ES at 45 and 55 min postmortem resulted in higher 24-h muscle glucose 6-phosphate.
• ES at 3 and 15 min postmortem led to lower glycogen, color, and firmness scores.
• ES at 3 and 25 min postmortem reduced water-holding capacity.
• No significant effect of ES on CIE L*, a*, b* color values or 24-h muscle pH was observed.

Conclusions:

• Electrical stimulation of pork carcasses within the first 25 minutes postmortem induces PSE-like meat quality.
• The timing of ES critically influences muscle biochemical changes and subsequent meat quality traits.
• ES can serve as a valuable model for studying the development of pork quality characteristics.