An international study on the importance of androstenone and skatole for boar taint: II. Sensory evaluation by trained panels in seven European countries

Dijksterhuis, Garmt; Engel, B.; Walstra, P.; Furnols, María Font; Agerhem, Halina; Fischer, K.; Oliver, M.A.; Claudi-Magnussen, C.; Siret, F.; Béague, M.P.; Homer, Dawn; Bonneau, Michel

doi:10.1016/s0309-1740(99)00103-5

Cited by 72 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Some studies indicate that the assessment of boar taint flavour in meat correlated better with androstenone (r 5 0.40 to 0.84) than with skatole concentration (r 5 0.36 to 0.54; Babol et al, 1996;Pauly et al, 2010). Dijksterhuis et al (2000) and Hansson et al (1980) found that it was more difficult, even for an androstenone sensitive expert, to recognise androstenone than skatole. In the present study, both skatole and androstenone in the fat were equally correlated with flavour (r 5 0.32).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Another important aspect of expert panels is the standardisation of the selection method of panel members on the basis of their androstenone sensitivity (Lunde et al, 2010) and the method used to train the experts. Differences in these characteristics may lead to variation between expert and consumer panels (Annor-Frempong et al, 1997a andDijksterhuis et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of various boar taint detection methods

Aluwé¹,

Tuyttens²,

Bekaert

et al. 2012

Animal

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of various boar taint detection methods, measure the relationship between them and identify possible points of improvement for boar taint detection. The methods used to evaluate boar taint in the carcasses of 448 entire male pigs and 17 barrows were the hot iron method (n 5 442), a standardised (n 5 323) and home (n 5 58) consumer meat-evaluation panel, an expert panel assessment of meat and fat (n 5 464) and laboratory analysis of skatole, androstenone and indole in fat (n 5 464). The axillary odour of a number of slaughtered entire male pigs was also investigated (n 5 231). As correlation coefficients were generally weak, a positive result for one of these detection methods did not per se result in a positive result for all other methods. Results of one detection method could not be generalised. The choice to use one or more detection methods deserves consideration depending on the aim of the study. In this paper, we suggest some possible improvements for evaluating boar taint with a consumer panel based on our results and experience. The home consumer evaluation was correlated with the concentration of indole (r 5 0.27) but not with skatole or androstenone. We therefore recommend that lab analyses include indole testing. The hot iron method seems to be an easy and fast detection method, which yields comparable or better correlation coefficients with the other detection methods than an expert panel evaluating fat samples. However, the reliability of the hot iron method depends on the training and reliability of one or two assessors. Efforts should be made to further optimise this method by evaluating the effect of testing conditions. The axillary odour score was moderately correlated with the other detection methods (up to 0.32). More research is needed to evaluate the possibilities of axillary odour as a boar taint detection method.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of various boar taint detection methods

Aluwé¹,

Tuyttens²,

Bekaert

et al. 2012

Animal

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“…In a large European study involving trained sensory panels in six countries, it was found that androstenone related mostly to a 'urine' attribute whereas skatole was mostly associated with 'manure' and to a lesser extent to 'naphthalene' (Dijksterhuis et al, 2000). However, sensory characterisation of boar taint is very complex, even with an extensive training of the panel and statistical correction of discrepancies among panellist.…”

Section: Boar Taintmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pig meat quality from entire males

Lundström

Matthews

Haugen

2009

Animal

137

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This paper constitutes an updated review of the production and meat quality aspects of rearing entire male pigs. Since a major obstacle in rearing entire males is the incidence of boar taint, possible methods for detection are also summarised. Safe and fast methods for detection of boar taint would be valuable in avoiding complaints from consumers. Pig meat quality is determined by many aspects, among which odour and taste are the most important attributes. Odour may be negatively affected by the presence of a pheromonal steroid, androstenone, and a fermentation product of L-tryptophan, skatole. Male pigs are surgically castrated in many countries to minimise the risk of accumulation of high levels of androstenone and skatole. Raising entire male pigs is more profitable because they have superior production characteristics and improved meat quality due to leaner carcasses and higher protein content, as compared to castrated pigs. Furthermore, surgical castration is negative from an animal welfare point of view. In most studies, no differences in sensory quality have been found between lean meat from entire male pigs with low levels of androstenone and skatole and pork from castrates and females. The question that remains is: which substances are responsible for boar taint besides androstenone and skatole and whether they need to be considered? The threshold values used for androstenone and skatole might also be too high for highly sensitive persons. Recent research shows that a human odorant receptor, ORD7D4, is involved in sensitivity to androstenone. If the ORD7D4 genotypes of consumer and expert panels are known, this might facilitate consumer studies in the future. There is still a great need for rapid on/at-line detection methods in abattoirs for identifying carcasses with unacceptable levels of boar taint compounds. Several emerging rapid technologies with a potential for boar taint detection have been investigated. They represent various measurement principles such as chemical sensor arrays (electronic noses), mass-spectrometry fingerprinting, ultra-fast gas chromatography, gas-phase spectrometry and biosensors. An industrial detection method should allow 100% correct classification of both acceptable and not-acceptable samples with regard to boar taint sorting criteria. There are, however, still too high a percentage of false negatives ranging from 5% to 20%. In addition, these methods do not yet seem to fulfil the industrial specifications with regard to cost efficiency, simplicity and analysis time. There is still no dedicated measurement technology available for on/at-line detection of boar-tainted carcasses that measures both androstenone and skatole.Keywords: pig meat quality, castration, entire males, detection methods, review ImplicationsBoar taint is the main reason that is preventing the production of entire male pigs in most countries. Across Europe, the majority of male piglets intended for pork production are surgically castrated to avoid potential consumer dissatisfaction because of boar tai...

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“…Also, 25% lupine-based diet during the whole fattening period has been shown to reduce skatole levels in castrated male and female pigs (Claudi-Magnussen & Hansen, 2005;Hansen & Claudi-Magnussen, 2004). Sensory profiling, a method in which a panel uses a developed sensory vocabulary to describe perceived sensory characteristics in a sample set, has previous been applied in the evaluation of the level of boar taint (Dijksterhuis et al, 2000;Banon, Costa, Gil, & Garrido, 2003;Byrne, Thamsborg, & Hansen, 2007). Sensory boar taint is perceived during cooking and eating, and is described as having a distinctive and unpleasant characteristic odour and flavour (EFSA, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sensory boar taint is perceived during cooking and eating, and is described as having a distinctive and unpleasant characteristic odour and flavour (EFSA, 2004). Skatole is mostly associated with sensory descriptors such as manure and androstenone is mostly related to urine (Dijksterhuis et al, 2000). The results from a sensory profiling can be interpreted alone or in combination with for instance chemical measurements to elucidate possible underlying predictive and causal relationships.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of feeding fermentable fibre-rich feedstuffs on meat quality with emphasis on chemical and sensory boar taint in entire male and female pigs

et al. 2008

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a b s t r a c tSkatole, androstenone and other compounds such as indole cause boar taint in entire male pork. However, female pigs also produce skatole and indole. The purpose of this experiment was to minimise boar taint and increase overall impression of sensory quality by feeding entire male and female pigs with fibrerich feedstuffs. The pigs have been fed three organic diets for either 1 or 2 weeks prior to slaughter of which two diets contained different fermentable fibre-rich feedstuffs -10-13.3% dried chicory roots or 25% blue lupines. These two treatments were compared with pigs fed with an organic control diet for either 1 or 2 weeks prior to slaughter. Lupines significantly reduced skatole in blood and backfat for both genders after 1 week. Moreover, lupines showed negative impact on growth rate and feed conversion whilst chicory showed no significant differences in this respect. However, the indole concentration was significantly lower in chicory than lupine fed pigs. From a sensory perspective, chicory and lupine feeding reduced boar taint since odour and flavour of manure related to skatole and urine associated to androstenone were minimised. The level of boar taint in the entire male pigs was most effectively reduced after 14 days by both fibre-rich feeds while lupine had the largest influence on ''boar" taint reduction in female pigs.

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An international study on the importance of androstenone and skatole for boar taint: II. Sensory evaluation by trained panels in seven European countries

Cited by 72 publications

References 15 publications

Evaluation of various boar taint detection methods

Evaluation of various boar taint detection methods

Pig meat quality from entire males

Effect of feeding fermentable fibre-rich feedstuffs on meat quality with emphasis on chemical and sensory boar taint in entire male and female pigs

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