The effects of fat thickness and degree of marbling on pork colour and structure

Abstract

Fat thickness (3rd–4th last rib) was weakly correlated with subjective pork structure score (R2 = 1.0%) and marbling score (R2 = 1.6%) in 399 boneless pork backs sampled from commercial processing plants. Pork colour and structure scores (R2 = 5.9 and 11.1%) were more highly correlated with marbling score than carcass fat and muscle depths (R2 = < 2.0%). Pork backs that had structure scores of 1 and 2 (extreme to slight soft and exudative pork) tended to have low amounts of marbling (traces or less). A second trial with 311 pork backs also indicated that higher marbling scores were associated with lower frequencies of pale, soft and exudative pork. Key words: Pork quality, marbling, PSE