Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 21, 2025
07:15
Measurement of Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) in Solid Tissues using Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
Published on: July 3, 2025
456
Ractopamine changes in pork quality are not mediated by changes in muscle glycogen or lactate accumulation postmortem
Q Guo1, J C Wicks1, Con-Ning Yen2
1Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States of America.
Meat Science
|January 17, 2021
Summary
Ractopamine (RAC) feeding reduced muscle glycogen and lactate levels early postmortem in pigs. However, its impact on pork quality, like muscle pH and lightness, requires further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Meat Science
- Muscle Physiology
Background:
- Pork quality is influenced by postmortem muscle carbohydrate metabolism.
- Beta-adrenergic agonists like ractopamine (RAC) affect muscle metabolism but their effect on pork quality is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of ractopamine (RAC) feeding on postmortem muscle carbohydrate metabolism in pigs.
- To understand how RAC influences muscle pH, glycogen, and lactate levels postmortem.
Main Methods:
- Pigs were fed ractopamine (RAC) for varying durations (1, 2, or 4 weeks).
- Postmortem muscle pH, lactate, glycogen, and lightness (L* values) were measured at different time points.
- Control groups were used for comparison.
Main Results:
- Ractopamine (RAC) feeding resulted in higher early postmortem muscle pH in pigs fed for 2 weeks.
- Muscle lactate levels were reduced early postmortem in pigs fed RAC for 1 and 2 weeks.
- Glycogen levels were reduced early postmortem in pigs fed RAC for 4 weeks, with an unexpected increase in L* values (lightness).
Conclusions:
- Ractopamine (RAC) feeding alters postmortem carbohydrate metabolism by reducing muscle glycogen and lactate accumulation.
- The direct link between RAC-induced changes in glycolytic flux and pork quality development warrants further research.
