Muscle, season, sex, and carcass weight affected pork texture, collagen characteristics, and intramuscular fat content

Abstract

In this study, pigs from three supply chains were slaughtered in an Australian summer and winter (n = 20 for each supply chain). The pigs were from two sexes (female and castrated male) and two carcass weight groups (high: 95.0 – 100.0 kg and low: 75.0 – 80.0 kg). From each carcass, the Biceps femoris (BF), Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and Triceps brachii (TB) were excised at 24h post-mortem, vacuum packed, frozen at 24-48h and transported to the lab. Cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and texture profile analysis (adhesiveness, chewiness, cohesiveness, hardness, resilience and springiness) were measured in LTL and BF. pH, collagen content and solubility and intramuscular fat (IMF) content were determined for all muscles. Results showed that BF was tougher than LTL, and winter samples were tougher than summer ones (P<0.05). The TB had higher pH, collagen and IMF content than BF and LTL (P<0.05). Collagen solubility was higher in castrated male and winter samples. pH, collagen solubility and IMF content were significantly (P<0.05) related to chewiness and hardness in pork BF and LTL. pH and IMF were also related to cooking loss, while collagen solubility and IMF were related to WBSF (P<0.05). The relationships of pH and IMF with pork texture were predominantly driven by the LTL, while the relationships between collagen solubility and texture were predominantly driven by the BF. Collagen solubility and IMF of pork BF and TB were related to those of LTL, but the correlations were not strong enough for prediction. Pork texture and chemical components were affected by muscle, seasons, sex and carcass weight. pH, collagen solubility and IMF affected pork texture.