Effect of halothane genotype on porcine meat quality and myoglobin autoxidation

The objective of this study was to determine effects of light (40-80 kg) or heavy (100-130 kg) slaughter weight and halothane status (positive, nn; negative, NN; and heterozygous, Nn), on meat quality. Longissimus muscle (LM) pH at 45 min (pH(45)) post-exsanguination was 6.25, 6.03, and 5.84 (different at p < 0.01) for NN, Nn, and nn genotype, respectively. At heavier weights (100-130 kg), genotype correlated (r = -0.71) with LM pH(45), 10th costae LM (TENLM) color score (r = -0.55), TENLM Hunter L(∗)-value (r = 0.47), water holding capacity (r = 0.42) and TENLM subjective firmness-wetness score (r = 0.51). Rate constants for metmyoglobin accumulation and oxymyoglobin autoxidation, indicators for fresh meat color stability, increased (p < 0.05) with decreasing pH. Color stability for NN muscle was more stable than nn muscle (p < 0.05). Electrofocusing of myoblobin revealed two bands (MW 17.10(3)) at pI 6.1 and 6.5 across genotypes. Because differences were not observed across genotypes, an observed increase (p < 0.05) in 24 hr myoglobin autoxidation rate constant (associated with increased expression of the HAL gene) are presumed dependent upon post-mortem muscle changes. These data show that changes in halothane status affect fresh pork quality and that lowered meat quality results in further color destruction due to altered chemical reactions involving myoglobin oxidation.