Technological and sensory pork quality in relation to muscle and drip loss protein profiles

Abstract Background Intensive selection for faster growth rate and higher lean percentage led to increase in protein deposition but deterioration in meat quality of pigs, thus there is growing interest in exploring the nutritional strategies to improve meat quality. Methionine has been shown to activate mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 protein kinase that plays pivotal roles in the regulation of protein and lipid synthesis. However, few study reports are available regarding the effects of dietary methionine supplementation at levels beyond growth requirements on lipid and protein metabolism and thus on pork quality. The objective of this study was to assess whether pork quality was improved by increasing dietary digestible sulfur amino acids (SAA) levels, with pigs fed the control (100% SAA), DL-Methionine (125% SAA)- or OH-Methionine (125% SAA)-supplemented diets during 11–110 kg period. Results Increasing SAA above requirements did not significantly affect growth performance, whereas improved pork quality as indicated by the decreased drip loss and a tendency towards decrease in shear force of longissimus lumborum muscle. Moreover, fresh muscle from barrows fed OH-Methionine showed a higher lightness value compared with the control and DL-Methionine treatments. The relatively lower shear force might be explained by the decrease in crude protein and increase in glycolytic potential, while the decreased drip loss was associated with down-regulation of genes (like fast glycolytic IIx) regulating fiber types. The increased lightness value of fresh muscle from barrows fed OH-Met diets appeared to be associated with the increased lactate level, which can be further explained by the increased plasma short-chain fatty acids concentrations, up-regulated G-protein coupled receptor 43 activation and enhanced glucagon-like peptide 1 secretion. Conclusion Increased SAA consumption appeared to improve pork water-holding capacity and tenderness likely through regulation of energy and protein metabolism and muscle’s fiber profile, which provides new insights into the nutritional strategies to improve meat quality.

Download Full-text

The effect of ante mortem electrolyte therapy on animal physiology and meat quality in pigs segregating at the halothane gene

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4141/cjas93-025 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 73 (2) ◽

pp. 231-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

A. L. Schaefer ◽

A. C. Murray ◽

A. K. W. Tong ◽

S. D. M. Jones ◽

A. P. Sather

Keyword(s):

Slow Release ◽

B Value ◽

Heart Tissue ◽

Pork Quality ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Tissue Levels ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Animal Physiology ◽

Key Words Magnesium ◽

Plasma Magnesium

The present study was initiated to investigate the effect of oral potassium (600 mg, slow release, 24 h preslaughter), intramuscular (IM) magnesium (500 mg MgSO4, 2 h preslaughter) or slow release magnesium (Magnesium-aspartate-hydrochloride (Mg Asp) 20 or 40 (g d−1 for 5 d) on animal physiology and pork quality. Experiments were undertaken on 318 barrows and gilts (100 kg ± 5 kg) represented by three genotypes segregating at the halothane locus (nn, Nn and NN genotypes). Experiment 1 indicated that the oral potassium effectively (P ≤ 0.05) reduced pCO2 values in the nn genotype. Intramuscular injectable magnesium treatments were also found to raise plasma magnesium (P < 0.05) but did not alter muscle, liver or heart tissue levels. Both oral potassium and i.m. magnesium exacerbated subjective pork structure and texture scores but were found to increase muscle brightness and hue (higher b* value). In exp. 2, oral magnesium-aspartate (Mg Asp) was found to raise plasma, but not tissue, levels of magnesium. When fed to a group of halothane carrier pigs (Nn genotype), Mg Asp reduced muscle temperature 45 min post-stunning, increased muscle redness (CIE a* value) and reduced muscle drip loss (P < 0.06). It was concluded that oral potassium and i.m. magnesium as administered in the present study had no beneficial effects on pork quality but that the beneficial effects of Mg Asp on meat colour and drip loss may warrant further investigation. Key words: Magnesium, potassium, preslaughter, pork quality, PSE pork

Download Full-text

The effect of transport density and gender on stress indicators and carcass and meat quality in pigs

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.5424/sjar/2015133-6638 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. e0606 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Thuanny L. Pereira ◽

Anderson Corassa ◽

Cláudia M. Komiyama ◽

Cláudio V. Araújo ◽

Alessandra Kataoka

Keyword(s):

Lactate Dehydrogenase ◽

Meat Quality ◽

Pork Quality ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Finishing Pigs ◽

Blood Components ◽

Stress Indicators ◽

Ph Values ◽

And Gender

A total of 168 finishing pigs were used to investigate the effects of gender (barrows and gilts) and transport densities for slaughter (236, 251, and 275 kg/m²) on stress indicators and carcass and pork quality. The animals transported at 251 kg/m² (T251) presented cortisol values below those at 236 kg/m2 (T236), but no different from those at 275 kg/m2 (T275). The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values in pigs transported at T236 were the lowest. The blood components did not differ between T236 and T275. The pH values at 45 min (pH45) and at 24 h (pH24) postmortem were higher for pigs subjected to T236. However, the pH45 was higher at T251 than at T275, but pH24 was lower at T251 than at T275. The lightness values in the muscles of the pigs transported at T236 and T251 were higher than those at T275. Lower drip loss values were observed in the muscle of animals at T251. Carcasses of pigs at T236 contained more 1–5 cm lesions while those at T275 contained more 5–10 cmlesions in sections of loin. No significant effects of gender were found on the stress indicators, blood components, pH45, pH24, color, drip loss or carcass lesions in general. These results indicate that the pre-slaughter transport of pigs at densities of 251 kg/m² generates less physiological damage and smaller losses on carcass and pork quality irrespective of gender.

Download Full-text

The effects of feeding conjugated linoleic acid on subsequent pork quality

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4141/a98-070 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 79 (1) ◽

pp. 45-51 ◽

Cited By ~ 84

Author(s):

M. E. R. Dugan ◽

J. L. Aalhus ◽

L. E. Jeremiah ◽

J. K. G. Kramer ◽

A. L. Schaefer

Keyword(s):

Linoleic Acid ◽

Conjugated Linoleic Acid ◽

Shear Force ◽

Detrimental Effect ◽

Intramuscular Fat ◽

Pork Quality ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Protein Levels ◽

Flavor Intensity ◽

Glycogen Utilization

Feeding conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has recently been shown to repartition fat to lean in pigs. The present study was undertaken to determine if feeding CLA affects pork quality. Pigs were fed a cereal-based diet containing either 2% CLA or 2% sunflower oil. Fifty-four pigs (27 gilts and 27 barrows) were fed per diet, and diets were fed from 61.5 to 106 kg liveweight. Diet did not affect postmortem longissimus thoracis (LT) glycogen utilization, lactate accumulation, or pH decline. Conjugated linoleic acid fed pigs had slightly higher LT temperatures at 3 h postmortem (+1.15 °C; P < 0.05), but subsequent LT shear force, drip loss and soluble protein levels were unaffected. Diet did not affect subjective LT scores for structure or color, but objective color measurements indicated LT from CLA-fed pigs had slightly higher chroma (color saturation) values (+0.84; P < 0.05). Longissimus thoracis from CLA-fed pigs also had increased subjective marbling scores (P < 0.01) and increased petroleum-ether-extractable intramuscular fat (+22%; P < 0.01). Diet did not affect any measured palatability characteristic (initial and overall tenderness, juiciness, flavor desirability, flavor intensity, connective tissue amount, overall palatability; P > 0.05). Feeding 2% dietary CLA to pigs, therefore, shows some potential for improving pork composition by increasing intramuscular fat, while having no detrimental effect on pork quality. Key words: Swine, conjugated linoleic acid, pork quality

Download Full-text

Transcript variants of a region on SSC15 rich in QTLs associated with meat quality in pigs

Annals of Animal Science ◽

10.1515/aoas-2016-0095 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 703-715 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Katarzyna Piórkowska ◽

Kacper Żukowski ◽

Tomasz Szmatoła ◽

Katarzyna Ropka-Molik ◽

Mirosław Tyra

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Chromosome Region ◽

Variant Calling ◽

Longissimus Dorsi ◽

Pork Quality ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Gene Variants ◽

Rna Seq ◽

Transcriptome Profile ◽

High Effect

Abstract A high meat percentage in the porcine carcass has been achieved as a result of selection, but it has contributed to a deterioration of pork quality. The level of intramuscular fat has significantly declined, the pork has lost its tenderness and drip loss in meat has substantially increased, which has led to a deterioration of meat flavour and its technological suitability. The recovery of good pork quality could be supported by the development of genetic markers enabling faster breeding progress. This study presents a method by using RNA-seq data that identifies new variants for a chromosome region rich in QTLs for pork quality and selects gene candidates for these traits. This work included two pig breeds: the Polish Landrace (PL) and Puławska (PUL), which differ in meat quality and fat content. The transcriptome profile was estimated for semimembranosus and longissimus dorsi muscles. Into variant calling analysis, transcripts of both muscles encoded by genes located in a region between microsatellites SW964 and SW906 (43-135.9 Mbp) in SSC15 were included. In total, 439 transcripts were searched, 2,800 gene variants were identified and 6 mutations with a high effect belonging to the frameshift variants were found (ENSSSCG00000015976, ENSSSCG00000027516, WRN and XIRP2). Moreover, several interesting significant missense variants in PDLIM3, PLCD4 and SARAF genes were detected. These genes are recommended as candidates for meat quality; however they require further investigation in an association study.

Download Full-text

Classification accuracy of different pork quality evaluation methods in assessment of meat with lowered drip loss

Ciência Rural ◽

10.1590/0103-8478cr20200885 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 51 (10) ◽

Author(s):

Krystian Tarczyński ◽

Andrzej Zybert ◽

Halina Sieczkowska ◽

Elżbieta Krzęcio-Nieczyporuk ◽

Katarzyna Antosik

Keyword(s):

Quality Evaluation ◽

Threshold Value ◽

Diagnostic Value ◽

Evaluation Methods ◽

Meat Sample ◽

Pork Quality ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Threshold Values ◽

Concentration Threshold

ABSTRACT: This study compared the diagnostic value of pork quality evaluation methods using different pH threshold values and time-points with muscle metabolites concentration threshold values measured 45 min. post mortem in assessment of meat with lowered drip loss. Samples of 100 longissimus dorsi (LD) (Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc fatteners were examined after slaughter for following parameters: muscle acidity in 35 min, 2 h, 3 h, 24 h and 48 h (pH1, pH2, pH3, pH24 and pH48), colour lightness (L*, a*, b*), meat yield after curing and thermal processing in 72 °C (technological yield), water-holding capacity (WHC) and drip loss in 48, 96 and 144 h (DL48, DL96, DL144). To verify the accuracy of analysed methods two groups were distinguished according to DL48, e.g. Low DL (DL48≤4%) and High DL (DL48>4%). In High DL pH1 to pH48 were statistically lower while L*, WHC, DL48, DL96, DL144 were statistically higher (P≤0.05). On the basis of pH-dependent methods classification to RFN (red, firm, normal), PSE (pale, soft, exudative), DFD (dark, firm, dry) and AM (acid meat) was performed and then the percentage share of Low DL and High DL among meat classified as RFN was evaluated. Despite most samples were classified as RFN Low DL share among them did not exceed 50%. If meat sample shows metabolites concentration below threshold value and was assigned to Low DL (or was assigned to High DL above threshold value) it was regarded as correctly classified. The most promising cut-off point (correct classification of 73%) was 45 µmol both for glycogen and lactate.

Download Full-text

Classification of pork quality by hierarchical cluster analysis

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-10-2017-0589 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 120 (7) ◽

pp. 1446-1456 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Robledo de Almeida Torres Filho ◽

Vanelle Maria da Silva ◽

Lorena Mendes Rodrigues ◽

Paulo Rogério Fontes ◽

Alcinéia de Lemos Souza Ramos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cluster Analysis ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Quality Attributes ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Pork Quality ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Content Type ◽

Cluster Analyses ◽

Parameter Values ◽

Quality Categories

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the classification ability of pork quality by cluster analysis in relation to reference criteria proposed in the literature. Verify if clusters were theoretically significant with major pork quality categories. Verify if classificatory parameter values of quality attributes determined “a posteriori” may be used for following categorization. Design/methodology/approach In total, 60 pork loins were classified into pale, soft and exudative, reddish-pink, soft and exudative, RFN and dark, firm and dry by reference criteria and hierarchical cluster analyses were performed to identify groups of samples with different attributes, based on only pH45min and on pHu, L* and drip loss. Findings Cluster analysis divided total samples into different (p<0.05) smaller groups. Two groups were formed based on only pH45min and five groups were formed based on pHu, L* and drip loss. By these five groups, L* of 44 and 52 distinguished between dark, reddish-pink and pale meat colors and drip loss of 2 and 6 percent distinguished between dry, non-exudative and exudative meats. Cluster analyses identify pork groups with different attributes and the proposed parameters can be used to distinguish between groups theoretically similar to major pork quality categories. Originality/value To decide the best destination to pork carcass and to reduce economic losses, the correctly classify of the pork quality is decisive. This study proves that cluster analysis is able to classify pork into groups with significantly different quality attributes, which are significant with major pork quality categories, without unclassified samples.

Download Full-text

Sarcoplasmic Protein Profile from Drip Loss in Relation to Pork Quality

Journal of Food Science ◽

10.1111/1750-3841.13424 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 81 (10) ◽

pp. C2320-C2326 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Wiesław Przybylski ◽

Damian Kaczor ◽

Elżbieta Żelechowska ◽

Danuta Jaworska ◽

Katarzyna Kajak-Siemaszko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protein Profile ◽

Pork Quality ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Sarcoplasmic Protein

Download Full-text

Effects of pre-slaughter short-term factors on pork quality

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an17665 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 59 (12) ◽

pp. 2273

Author(s):

Fotios Mantis ◽

Iosif Bizelis ◽

George K. Symeon ◽

Emmanuel Rogdakis

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Sarcomere Length ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Longissimus Dorsi ◽

Pork Quality ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Short Term ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Meat Samples

We examined the effects of pre-slaughter short-term factors including season of the year, duration of transportation and lairage time, as well as sex of pigs, on pork quality. Meat samples were collected from 590 pigs (females, entire and castrated males) that were slaughtered in a commercial abattoir in Greece over a 15-month period. Meat quality parameters pH, colour, drip loss, cooking loss, Warner–Bratzler shear values and sarcomere length were measured on the longissimus dorsi. DNA was isolated from blood samples and the frequency of the recessive halothane gene mutation HALn was determined. The results demonstrated that pork quality with respect to pH and L* values was normal in 93.9% of the samples, with 5.1% of samples classified as PSE (pale, soft and exudative) and 1.0% as DFD (dark, firm and dry). Duration of transportation was critical: brief and long transfers had the ability to impair meat quality. A lairage time of 2–4 h before slaughter was adequate when the pigs were free of HALn and the climatic conditions were not extreme. Season of the year was a very important factor, with significant variations recorded in meat-quality parameters between winter and summer months. Finally, the sex of the animals was responsible for differences in meat quality, but these differences were small and unlikely to be identified by the consumers.

Download Full-text

Ease of Handling and Physiological Parameters of Stress, Carcasses, and Pork Quality of Pigs Handled in Different Group Sizes

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani9100798 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 798 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Filipe Antonio Dalla Costa ◽

Osmar Antonio Dalla Costa ◽

Izabela Cruvinel Di Castro ◽

Neville George Gregory ◽

Melissa Selaysim Di Campos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Group Size ◽

Group Treatment ◽

Initial Temperature ◽

Physiological Parameters ◽

Pork Quality ◽

Drip Loss ◽

Quality Traits ◽

Moving Groups

The effect of different group sizes of pigs (3, 5, and 10 pigs) during handling on physiological parameters, carcasses, and pork quality traits at the farm and slaughterhouse were evaluated in 360 pigs from five farms (four repetitions or group/treatment/farms). Data was analyzed as a factorial of 3 × 5 (3 treatments × 5 farms) to check effects of treatments by analysis of variance in ANOVA. Ease of handling decreased as the group size increased. However, time taken in handling was not influenced by the group size (p > 0.10). Moving pigs in groups of five animals reduced effects on blood cortisol levels (p < 0.05). Fighting and handling lesions in the carcasses increased for bigger handling groups (p < 0.05). Pigs handled in groups of three and ten animals had a higher pHu and initial temperature in Longissimus thoracis and Semimembranosus (p < 0.05) and lower drip loss in Semimembranosus (p < 0.05). However, meat quality classifications of the carcasses were not affected by treatments. Based on the results, moving groups of five pigs seems to be the best strategy to improve animal welfare, carcasses and pork quality.

Download Full-text