An international study on the importance of androstenone and skatole for boar taint: III. Consumer survey in seven European countries

Matthews, Kim; Homer, Dawn; Punter, Pieter; Béague, M.P.; Gispert, M.; Kempster, A. J.; Agerhem, Halina; Claudi-Magnussen, C.; Fischer, K.; Siret, F.; Leask, H.; Furnols, María Font; Bonneau, Michel

doi:10.1016/s0309-1740(99)00104-7

Cited by 80 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Literature indicates that informed consumers are more critical (Malmfors and Lundströ m, 1983). Matthews et al (2000) showed that consumers are less able to differentiate between pork from entire male pigs and gilts or barrows compared with expert panels and that high levels of both androstenone and skatole only had a small negative effect on consumer acceptance. Consumers are better able to differentiate in odour than in flavour.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consumers are better able to differentiate in odour than in flavour. Odour is more strongly linked with skatole (r 5 0.52) than with androstenone (r 5 0.33), whereas flavour correlates equally (r 5 0.42) with skatole and androstenone (Malmfors and Lundströ m, 1983;Matthews et al, 2000). The assessment of boar taint odour and flavour in fat and meat by experts is better correlated with androstenone (r 5 0.40 to 0.84) than with skatole concentration (r 5 36 to 0.54; Bonneau et al, 1992;Babol et al, 1996;Furnols et al, 2009;Pauly et al, 2009).…”

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: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of various boar taint detection methods

Aluwé¹,

Tuyttens²,

Bekaert

et al. 2012

Animal

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“…The incidence of carcasses with detectable levels of skatole is low, probably due to the improvements on pork meat production methods (Neuper et al 1995;Jinliang et al 1996;Gibis et al 1998;Walstra et al 1999;Font-IFurnols et al 2000;Matthews et al 2000). Androstenone and skatole can vary with the pig genotype, age, and rearing, and it is possible to reduce their fat levels (Squires et al 1992;Hansen et al 1993;Jinliang et al 1996;Xue et al 1996;Bonneau 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is possible to estimate the degree of consumer dissatisfaction based on the fat concentration of these compounds . Skatole has a lower detection threshold and a greater impact on the odour than androstenone, while both contribute equally to the flavour Matthews et al 2000).…”

Section: Sensorial Studymentioning

confidence: 98%

Relationship between carcass weight, skatole level and sensory assessment in fat of different boars

Parunović¹,

Petrović²,

Matekalo-Sverak³

et al. 2010

Czech J. Food Sci.

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Parunović N., Petrović M., Matekalo-Sverak V., Parunović J., Radović Č. (2010): Relationship between carcass weight, skatole level and sensory assessment in fat of different boars. Czech J. Food Sci., 28: 520-530.The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the carcass weight and the level of skatole in boar back fat samples with descriptive sensory profiles (trained sensory panel) immediately after heating the fat samples (warm). A weak correlation was found between the carcass weight and skatole level in fat (P > 0.05). Between skatole levels in the fat of boars, whose carcass weight was below 70 kg, and of those with the carcass weight equal or above 70 kg, there was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The average content of skatole in the fat tissue of the boars < 70 kg, (0.18 ± 0.09 mg/kg fat, respectively) was below the commonly used respective thresholds for tainted meat (0.20 mg/kg fat), 53% of the samples showed the values of ≤ 20 mg/kg, and 73% of the samples the values of ≤ 25 mg/kg. In the group ≥ 70 kg (0.40 ± 0.39 mg/kg fat, respectively), 80% of the samples revealed the values of ≥ 20 mg/kg, and 66% of the samples the values of ≥ 25 mg/kg. Our results show that a positive, compelling and statistically highly significant correlation exists between the skatole level and the sensory assessment of skatole intensity in fat.

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“…This situation makes it difficult to draw meaningful conclusions for the establishment of comparable threshold levels, consumer acceptance limits and finally for the production of boar taintfree pork. In fact, many studies are performed by grouping the animals in high/medium/low-taint classes based on skatole and androstenone thresholds, with the generally accepted androstenone thresholds: 1 mg/g and 0.5 mg/g of fat, using the same levels even if those concentrations are given in MF (Matthews et al, 2000;Weiler et al, 2000;Babol et al, 2002) or in AT (Annor-Frempong et al, 1997;Bañ ó n et al, 2003;Font i Furnols et al, 2008) and conclusions are drawn about the abundance of animals in the given classes, or about the consumers' acceptance by classes. Thus, comparisons are very often made between breeds, breed crosses, locations and countries (Walstra et al, 1999;Bonneau et al, 2000;Pauly et al, 2009 and2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inter-laboratory comparison of methods to measure androstenone in pork fat

Kragten

Verkuylen²,

Dahlmans³

et al. 2011

Animal

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Today, different analytical methods are used by different laboratories to quantify androstenone in fat tissue. This study shows the comparison of methods used routinely in different laboratories for androstenone quantification: Time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay in Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (NSVS; Norway), gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in Co-operative Central Laboratory (CCL; The Netherlands) and in Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentà ries (IRTA; Spain), and high-pressure liquid chromatography in Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Station (ALP; Switzerland). In a first trial, a set of adipose tissue (AT) samples from 53 entire males was sent to CCL, IRTA and NSVS for determination of androstenone concentration. The average androstenone concentration (s.d.) was 2.47 (2.10) mg/g at NSVS, 1.31 (0.98) mg/g at CCL and 0.62 (0.52) mg/g at IRTA. Despite the large differences in absolute values, inter-laboratory correlations were high, ranging from 0.82 to 0.92. A closer look showed differences in the preparation step. Indeed, different matrices were used for the analysis: pure fat at NSVS, melted fat at CCL and AT at IRTA. A second trial was organised in order to circumvent the differences in sample preparation. Back fat samples from 10 entire males were lyophilised at the ALP labortary in Switzerland and were sent to the other laboratories for androstenone concentration measurement. The average concentration (s.d.) of androstenone in the freeze-dried AT samples was 0.87 (0.52), 1.03 (0.55), 0.84 (0.46) and 0.99 (0.67) mg/g at NSVS, CCL, IRTA and ALP, respectively, and the pairwise correlations between laboratories ranged from 0.92 to 0.97. Thus, this study shows the influence of the different sample preparation protocols, leading to major differences in the results, although still allowing high inter-laboratory correlations. The results further highlight the need for method standardisation and inter-laboratory ring tests for the determination of androstenone. This standardisation is especially relevant when deriving thresholds of consumer acceptance, whereas the ranking of animals for breeding purposes will be less affected due to the high correlations between methods.

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An international study on the importance of androstenone and skatole for boar taint: III. Consumer survey in seven European countries

Cited by 80 publications

References 10 publications

Evaluation of various boar taint detection methods

Evaluation of various boar taint detection methods

Relationship between carcass weight, skatole level and sensory assessment in fat of different boars

Inter-laboratory comparison of methods to measure androstenone in pork fat

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