Sensory quality of meat from crossbred boars in relation to their age and slaughter weight

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of age of boars and their slaughter weights on the pleasantness and intensity of pork meat taste and odour. A total of 652 sensory evaluations of meat samples from sixteen crossbred entire male pigs aged 121 to 136 days with slaughter weight of 80–120 kg were performed by sensory profiling method. The age was a greater factor influencing the level of boar taint than the slaughter weight of animals. There were significant differences in the intensity of boar odour between categories of young animals (121 days) and old animals (135–136 days) (P = 0.0473) and between categories of adult animals (128 days) and old animals (P = 0.0194). Among the evaluated descriptors stronger correlations were calculated between olfactometric than between taste descriptors. Significant correlations were found between androstenone levels in subcutaneous fat and the results of sensory evaluation of muscle samples from the oldest animals aged 135–136 days.