PORK QUALITY IN RELATION TO CARCASS FATNESS AND MUSCLING

Abstract

Carcasses from 146 barrows, 192 gilts and 120 boars were evaluated to determine interrelationships among measures of carcass muscling, fatness and pork quality. On the basis of subjective color-structure scores 11 and 3% of the population were classified Pale Soft Exudative and Dark Firm Dry, respectively, with no difference evident in frequencies among sexes. Increasing values for color-structure score were accompanied by significant (P < 0.05) increases in pH, color brightness and marbling score, and decreases in percent transmission and shear value. There were no differences among classes in area or intramuscular fat of the longissimus dorsi. Carcasses were categorized into fat and muscling classes. There was no relationship of initial pH (40 min postmortem) with either fatness or muscle/bone ratio indicated, although ultimate pH was significantly higher for the high backfat and low muscle/bone classes. Tenderness (shear values) and precipitation of muscle proteins (% transmission) increased, and marbling score decreased, with increased muscle/bone and decreased backfat. Color brightness and percent intramuscular fat were not influenced by fat or muscling category. Averages for subjective color-structure scores did not show a consistent pattern in relation to total backfat, but they tended to decrease slightly as muscle/bone increased. Various correlations were computed among carcass and muscle properties and it was concluded that measures of carcass fatness and carcass muscling were relatively independent. Correlations among measures of carcass composition and pork quality were low.