Comparison of Restructured Chops Manufactured from Prerigor and Postrigor Pork

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Science
• Postmortem Muscle Biochemistry

Background:

• Restructured meat products are common in the food industry.
• Understanding the impact of processing and additives on meat quality is crucial for consumer satisfaction.
• Prerigor processing offers potential benefits but requires careful evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of salting (sodium chloride and sodium tripolyphosphate) on restructured pork chops.
• To compare quality attributes of chops made from prerigor versus conventionally processed pork.
• To assess the influence of storage duration on sensory and objective quality parameters.

Main Methods:

• Restructured pork chops were prepared from prerigor and conventionally boned pork.
• Samples were either unsalted or salted with 2.0% NaCl and 0.25% STP.
• Chops were stored for 5, 14, and 42 days, followed by subjective (sensory) and objective (color, TBA) evaluations.

Main Results:

• Appearance and flavor generally deteriorated with extended storage time.
• Salted chops exhibited poorer appearance but comparable flavor to unsalted chops.
• Salted chops were more tender and juicy than unsalted counterparts; juiciness correlated with tenderness.
• No significant differences in appearance, flavor, tenderness, or juiciness were found between prerigor and conventionally processed pork chops.

Conclusions:

• Salting enhances tenderness and juiciness in restructured pork chops but negatively impacts appearance.
• Storage duration negatively affects appearance and flavor.
• Prerigor pork processing is comparable to conventional methods regarding the evaluated quality traits.