Determination of Water-holding Capacity of Porcine Musculature Based on Released Water Method Using Optimal Load

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability of the released water (RW) method for measuring water-holding capacity (WHC) by pressure and filter-paper absorption within two thin plastic films. One hundred fifty pork loins with considerable variations in WHC (three pork qualities: PSE, pale, soft, and exudative; RFN, reddish-pink, firm, and nonexudative; and DFD, dark, firm, and dry; 50 pork loins in each pork quality group) were used to measure drip loss (DL)% and RW % after applying different loads (1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 kg). Percentages of DL and RW were significantly (p<0.05) different among pork quality groups. The RW % of 2.5 kg load sample was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of 2.0 kg or 1.5 kg load sample. However, there were no significant (p>0.05) differences in RW % among 2.5 kg, 3.0 kg, and 3.5 kg load samples for all three pork quality groups. The RW % was highly and positively correlated (r>0.95; p<0.001) with DL %. The highest correlation was observed between DL % and RW % of 2.5 kg load sample (r=0.97; p<0.001). Among all RW loads within each quality groups, the highest correlation between DL % and RW % was observed for 2.5 kg load sample (r=0.43, 0.66, and 0.46 for PSE, RFN and DFD quality groups, respectively, p<0.001). These results imply that applying 2.5 kg load is the best for determination of RW %. It is recommended as a reference method to assess DL % of pork muscles.