Discoloration of Fresh Pork as Related to Muscle and Display Conditions

Pale, soft, exudative (PSE), normal, and dark, firm, dry (DFD) pork was held 7 days at 4°C under light or dark then color was evaluated instrumentally and visually. Change in reflectance (R630-R580) was used to estimate color changes due to oxymyoglobin. PSE pork was lighter (high L*) than normal and DFD pork, but did not change over time. An increase in a* and R630-R580 occurred the first day for normal and DFD, but not for PSE samples. A subsequent increase in hue angle and decrease in R630-R580 (loss of redness) occurred in PSE and normal, but not in DFD samples. Changes in hue angle and R630-R580 were more rapid in PSE than in normal samples. Light exposure accelerated all changes except L*. Visual redness inversely correlated with L* value.     

Effect of ionizing radiation on quality characteristics of vacuum-packaged normal,pale–soft–exudative,and dark–firm–dry pork

Normal, pale–soft–exudative (PSE), and dark–firm–dry (DFD) pork Longissimus dorsi muscles were vacuum-packaged, irradiated at 0, 2.5 or 4.5 kGy, and stored at 4 °C for 10 days. The pH, color and lipid oxidation of pork were determined at 0, 5 and 10 days of storage. Volatile production from pork loins was determined at Day 0 and Day 10, and sensory characteristics at Day 7 of storage. Irradiation increased the redness of vacuum-packaged normal, PSE and DFD pork. However, the 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values of three types of pork were not influenced by irradiation and storage time. Irradiation increased the production of sulfur (S)-containing volatile compounds, such as mercaptomethane, dimethyl sulfide, carbon disulfide, methyl thioacetate, and dimethyl disulfide, as well as total volatiles in all three types of pork. Normal pork produced higher levels of total and S-containing volatile compounds than the PSE and DFD pork did. The volatiles produced by irradiation were retained in the vacuum packaging bag during storage. Although the odor preference for the three meat types of pork was not different, the panelists could distinguish irradiated meat from the non-irradiated. Industrial relevance: Several US meat companies have already started test-marketing irradiated meat products. Irradiation and the subsequent storage of pork improved the color of PSE and DFD pork, and showed generally similar effects on the production of volatiles, except that there appeared to be a lower level of S-volatiles in the PSE than in the other two samples. This indicated that irradiation can increase the utilization of low-quality pork (PSE and DFD). DFD pork, in particular, which has shorter shelf-life than the others, could benefit the most from irradiation because the shelf-life of DFD meat can be extended significantly by both the methods of vacuum packaging and irradiation.     

PSE(白肌)、RFN(正常)、DFD(黑干)3种质量猪肉冷藏期间的肉色稳定性

比较了PSE(白肌)、RFN(正常)、DFD(黑干)3种质量猪肉冷藏期间的肉色稳定性。宰后24h直接切块取样的3种质量猪肉(背最长肌)于(2±1)℃下避光透氧包装[O2透过率=2.06×10-3mL/(m2.h.Pa)]冷藏6d,采用色度计法测定了样品表面L*(亮度)值、a*(红色度)值、b*(黄色度)值、hueangle(色调角)值。从上述指标的变化研究了3种质量猪肉表面的肉色稳定性。3种质量猪肉表面肉色稳定性顺序为:DFD>RFN>PSE;a*值下降、hueangle值上升可反映肉色稳定性变差。     

Lipid Oxidation, Color, Volatiles, and Sensory Characteristics of Aerobically Packaged and Irradiated Pork with Different Ultimate pH

ABSTRACT: Irradiation and storage increased lipid oxidation of normal and pale-soft-exudative (PSE) muscles, whereas dark-firm-dry (DFD) muscle was very stable and resistant to oxidative changes. Irradiation increased redness regardless of pork-quality type, and the increases were proportional to irradiation dose. Irradiation increased the production of sulfur-containing volatiles, but not lipid oxidation products. The total volatiles produced in normal and PSE pork were higher than the DFD pork. Some volatiles produced in meat by irradiation evaporated during storage under aerobic packaging conditions. Nonirradiated normal and DFD pork had higher odor preference scores than the nonirradiated PSE, but irradiation reduced the preference scores of all 3 pork-quality types.     

Effects of pork muscle quality on bacterial growth and retail case life

The effects of muscle quality (PSE, normal, DFD) upon the bacteriology and retail case life of pork chops were determined. Pork loin chops were processed from boneless backs after 90 days of frozen storage at -30°C. Variation in bacterial numbers was due to a highly significant (p < 0·001) storage time by muscle quality interaction. During simulated retail display, total psychrotrophs, Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta and Enterobacteriaceae were lowest on PSE pork and highest on DFD pork in comparison to normal pork. Differences in bacterial densities were due to a longer lag phase in PSE pork and a shorter lag phase in DFD pork than in normal pork. Of the three muscle quality groups, DFD was most susceptible to the development of spoilage odours, while PSE pork was most sensitive to deterioration in appearance.     

Volatile production in irradiated normal, pale soft exudative (PSE) and dark firm dry (DFD) pork under different packaging and storage conditions

Normal, pale soft exudative (PSE) and dark firm dry (DFD) pork Longissimus dorsi muscles were vacuum packaged, irradiated at 0 or 4.5 kGy and stored at 4°C for 10 days. Volatile production from pork loins was determined at Day 0 and Day 10 of storage at 4°C. With both aerobic and vacuum packaging, irradiation increased the production of sulfur-containing volatiles (carbon disulfide, mercaptomethane, dimethyl sulfide, methyl thioacetate and dimethyl disulfide) in all three pork conditions at Day 0 but did not increase hexanal – the major indicator volatile of lipid oxidation. The PSE pork produced the lowest amount of total sulfur-containing volatiles in both aerobically and vacuum-packaged pork at Day 0. The majority of sulfur-containing volatiles produced in meat by irradiation disappeared during the 10-day storage period under aerobic packaging conditions. With vacuum packaging, however, all the volatiles produced by irradiation remained in the packaging bag during storage. Irradiation had no relationship with lipid oxidation-related volatiles (e.g. hexanal) in both aerobic and vacuum-packaged raw pork. The DFD muscle was very stable and resistant to oxidative changes in both irradiated and nonirradiated pork during storage, suggesting that irradiation can significantly increase the utilization of raw DFD pork and greatly benefit the pork industry.     

EFFECTS OF INJECTION OF A DILUTE PHOSPHATE-SALT SOLUTION ON PORK CHARACTERISTICS FROM PSE, NORMAL AND DFD CARCASSES

Phosphate-salt pump effects were evaluated on sensory characteristics of pale, soft, exudative (PSE) pork, normal and dark, firm and dry (DFD) pork. Water-holding capacity, instrumental color (L*, a*, b*), pH, and muscle color scores were determined at 24 h postmortem on pork loin pairs (n=21 pairs). Based on color score, paired loins were assigned to PSE, normal or dark, firm, dry groups. PSE muscles were lighter, redder and more yellow than normal or DFD muscles; hue angle indicated that DFD muscles were actually closer to the true red axis of the CIE Lab Color Space. Drip and purge losses were higher (p<0.05) in PSE muscles. Paired loins were pumped with water (controls) or 0.3% tripolyphosphate solution (0.25% salt) to 110% of original weight, vacuum packaged, frozen, cut into chops, and cooked to 70 or 80C. Phosphate-salt pumped loins were juicier and more tender (p<0.05) than water-pumped loins regardless of muscle condition. Loins cooked to 70C were juicier, were more tender (sensory) but required more force to shear than those cooked to 80C.     

皮质醇激素和血液生化指标变化对猪肉劣质肉的指示作用

为寻找猪肉劣质肉的指示指标,比较了不同质量猪肉对应皮质醇激素和血液生化指标的变化。结果表明,劣质肉中白肌肉(PSE)对应生猪血糖浓度显著高于正常肉(RFN)(P<0.05),劣质肉中黑干肉(DFD)对应生猪皮质醇浓度显著高于RFN肉(P<0.05)。说明血糖可作为劣质肉中PSE肉的重要指示指标,当宰前血糖浓度达到(17.21±3.12)mol/L时,可能产PSE肉;皮质醇可作为劣质肉中DFD肉的重要指示指标,当宰前皮质醇浓度达到(512.70±49.9)nmol/L时,可能产生DFD肉。     

CONSUMER EVALUATION OF PORK APPEARANCE WITH DIFFERING PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PACKAGING CONDITIONS

Consumers (n = 116) evaluated color (pink intensity), appearance (wet/dry), overall acceptability and purchase intent of normal, PSE and DFD pork loin slices in PVC and in vacuum packages. Packaging x muscle condition affected (p < 0.05) appearance, overall acceptability and consumer purchase intent of pork slices. Color differences were perceptible to consumers between packaging treatments. PVC-packaged pork was pinker than vacuum-packaged pork. Vacuum-packaged, PSE pork appeared drier than PVC-packaged PSE pork. Normal pork was more acceptable than PSE pork regardless of packaging. DFD pork acceptability was not different from that of normal pork when vacuum packaged. In general purchase intent paralleled consumer evaluation of overall acceptability. Instrumental color data and pH for samples evaluated are also presented.     

Consumer-rated Quality Characteristics as Related to Purchase Intent of Fresh Pork

Consumers (n=556) rated pink color, wet/dry appearance, overall acceptability and purchase intent of normal, pale, soft and exudative (PSE), and dark, firm and dry (DFD) pork loin slices in PVC packages in five retail supermarkets. DFD samples appeared driest and PSE samples appeared wettest. Samples in the higher ranked two purchase intent categories appeared more wet than those in the lower three categories. The pinker PSE samples and all DFD samples were in the higher ranked purchase intent categories. Purchase intent generally paralleled overall acceptability; however, prediction equations indicated that wet/dry appearance, color and overall acceptability all contributed to purchase intent decision depending on muscle condition.     

Differences in quality characteristics of normal, PSE and DFD pork

Differences in water-holding capacity, colour and tenderness/toughness were studied in 21 pork loins belonging to three quality categories, i.e. dark firm dry (DFD), normal and pale soft exudative (PSE). The division into the three groups was based upon the ultimate pH-values of the loins (< pH 5·5, pH 5·5-6·0, pH > 6·4). The PSE loins were characterized by a poor waterholding capacity, higher cooking loss and paler colour in contrast to the DFD category. The normal loins took an intermediate position. Neither sarcomere length, determined on fresh muscle tissue, nor Armour tenderometer values showed significant differences between the various quality categories. This was in contrast to the Warner-Bratzler (W-B) shear force values, determined on cooked loins, which had the lowest values in the DFD category. A strong relationship between the W-B values and the cooking losses was found. It was concluded that neither sarcomere length nor Armour tenderometer measurements were able to predict the shear force values of cooked pork loins.     

Aging and Processing Affect Color, Metmyoglobin Reductase and Oxygen Consumption of Beef Muscles

Color stability and various biochemical properties were determined in bovine longissimus dorsi and psoas major at different times postmortem (8 hr to 21 days) and during retail display. Surface metmyoglobin accumulation, metmyoglobin reductase activity and oxygen consumption rate were affected by muscle type, postmortem aging, and fabrication method (p < 0.01). Psoas steaks had greater metmyoglobin accumulation, lower metmyoglobin reductase activity, and greater oxygen consumption than longissimus steaks. However, color stability of muscles was similar after grinding, which increased oxygen consumption. Color was most stable in steaks fabricated at 4 or 7 days postmortem. The order of color stability was knife-cut steaks > saw-cut steaks > ground muscle.     

Use of visible spectroscopy to assess colour development during ageing of fresh pork from different quality classes

The objective of this research was to study the entire visible spectra evolution during meat ageing in different pork meat quality classes (PSE, DFD and RFN). The potential use of the visible spectra for discriminating low meat quality classes during the 24 hours postmortem (hpm) was also analysed. For these purposes, 26 pork loins were used: 3 PSE (pale, soft and exudative), 3 DFD (dark, firm and dry) and 20 RFN (red, firm and non‐exudative). At 12, 24, 48 h and 7 days postmortem, reflectance spectra (400–700 nm) were obtained by a spectrocolorimeter Minolta CM‐3600D after one and a half hour of blooming time. It was demonstrated that the ageing time has an influence in colour parameters and in blooming ability of RFN loins. The evolution of visible spectra was influenced by ageing time in PSE and RFN loins, while the visible spectra of DFD loins showed no variation with postmortem time. The results showed the possibility of separating PSE meats from the other classes by using visible reflectance spectra at 24 hpm.     

PSE肉和DFD肉中糖原含量变化分析

利用蒽酮比色法进行检测正常肉、PSE肉和DFD肉中糖原含量的变化。糖原标液水解率为95.8%～98.7%,平均值为97.46%,相对标准偏差为1.25%。在0h,正常肉、PSE肉和DFD肉中糖原的平均含量分别为0.7560、0.7456、0.5284mg/g,RSD为0.3689%～0.7566%。PSE肉中糖原含量2h后下降到0.0420mg/g,RSD为2.3890%。正常肉和DFD肉的糖原含量在72h后分别下降到0.0608mg/g和0.0794mg/g,RSD为2.1445%和4.5931%。     

Pork meat quality affects peptide and amino acid profiles during the ageing process

Twenty pork carcasses were classified in different pork meat qualities: red, firm and non-exudative (RFN), pale, soft and exudative (PSE), red, soft and exudative (RSE) and dark, firm and dry (DFD) meat. The content of peptides and free amino acids during the ageing process was analysed and compared within quality classes. Four peptide fractions were isolated through cation-exchange and reverse-phase chromatography. The main significant differences among qualities were obtained for peptide fractions 3 and 4. Peptide fraction 3 at 4 days and peptide fraction 4 at 2 h postmortem were higher in the ideal pork quality (RFN) than in the other quality classes. The ageing of pork meats produced a general increase in all free amino acid concentrations for the studied quality classes except for Gln, β-Ala, Taurine and Orn and the dipeptides carnosine and anserine. The DFD class showed higher increases in Lys, Ala and Met probably due to the activation of neutral aminopeptidases.     

Microbiological and physicochemical changes in minced meats under carbon dioxide, nitrogen or air at 3°C

Microbiological changes were studied in minced beef and minced dark, firm, dry (DFD) pork stored under different atmospheres (100% in carbon dioxide, nitrogen or air) at 3°C. The storage life (time for 100-fold increase in TVC) of samples flushed with carbon dioxide was increased by c . 3–4 days. Pseudomonads were the dominant organisms in samples stored in air, and lactic acid bacteria and Brochothrix thermosphacta in those stored under carbon dioxide. There was an alkaline drift in all samples, but at different rates (air > nitrogen > carbon dioxide). The rate of glucose assimilation in normal and DFD beef was slower in the samples stored under carbon dioxide than those under nitrogen or air. Lactate, gluconate, acetic acid, ethanol and diacetyl occurred in normal and DFD beef regardless of the storage atmospheres.     

EFFECTS OF INHERENT MUSCLE QUALITY DIFFERENCES UPON THE PALATABILITY AND COOKING PROPERTIES OF VARIOUS FRESH, CURED AND PROCESSED PORK PRODUCTS

Ham steaks, loin chops, bacon slices, shoulder roasts and sausage patties fabricated from three muscle quality groups were utilized to evaluate the effects of muscle quality on palatability and cooking properties. Irrespective of muscle quality (pale, soft, exudative (PSE) versus normal versus dark, firm, dry (DFD)) all pork cuts evaluated were well within the acceptable range in palatability. In addition, results indicated that inherent muscle quality differences were of little relevance to the eating quality of pork. However, meaningful differences in cooking losses were observed from loin chops and bacon slices.     

Development in myofibrillar water distribution of two pork qualities during 10-month freezer storage

The effects of fresh meat quality (PSE versus DFD), freezing temperature (-20°C versus -80C°) and duration of freezer storage on changes in water mobility and distribution were followed at intervals of 1-2 months during 10-month freezer storage of pork using low-field NMR T(2) relaxometry. Fresh meat quality was found to have a strong significant effect (P<0.0001) on the amount of loosely bound water (relaxation time >100ms) also after freezing, which was reflected in a significantly lower cooking yield in PSE meat compared with DFD meat (P<0.0001). While no significant changes in the cooking yield were observed with increasing length of freezer storage, NMR T(2) relaxation measurements revealed a significant increase in the amount of loosely bound water in PSE meat with increasing length of freezer storage. This finding indicates that NMR T(2) relaxation measurements are quite sensitive to freezing-induced changes in the meat structure, causing a shift in the distribution of water and possibly capable of detecting these before they are reflected in a reduced cooking yield. In addition, an interaction between fresh meat quality and effect of length of freezer storage on the amount of very mobile water easily lost as drip was observed, implying that PSE meat is more susceptible to freezer storage-induced deteriorative changes in the meat structure, causing a shift in the distribution of water, than DFD meat.     

The relationship of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein solubility to colour and water-holding capacity in porcine longissimus muscle

In order to investigate the relationship of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar protein solubility to colour and water-holding capacity (WHC) in pork, 60 loins were selected to represent the quality classes: PSE (pale, soft, exudative), RSE (reddish-pink, soft, exudative), RFN (reddish-pink, firm, non-exudative) and DFD (dark, firm, dry). PSE samples exhibited lower (p<0.05) protein solubility (sarcoplasmic, myofibrillar and total) compared to the other quality classes. RSE samples exhibited lower (p<0.05) sarcoplasmic protein solubility compared to DFD samples. RSE, RFN and DFD samples had similar myofibrillar and total protein solubilities. Sarcoplasmic protein solubility explained 71% of the variation in lightness with a linear decrease in L* value. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) gels of the sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar samples distinctly showed the association of some sarcoplasmic proteins with the myofibrillar protein fractions in PSE and RSE samples. The sarcoplasmic proteins which precipitated were phosphorylase, creatine kinase, triose phosphate isomerase and myokinase for PSE and phosphorylase for RSE samples. Pork colour is highly correlated with precipitation of sarcoplasmic proteins while WHC is affected by denaturation of myofibrillar proteins (PSE samples) and lower ultimate pH (PSE and RSE samples).     

Biochemical Properties of Natural Actomyosin Extracted from Normal and Pale, Soft, and Exudative Pork Loin After Frozen Storage

ABSTRACT: The studies of natural actomyosin (NAM) extracted from normal and pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) pork longissimus muscle stored at -20°C for up to 6 mo, revealed that the surface hydrophobicity (S₀-ANS) of NAM from PSE pork was significantly ( P < 0.05) higher than that from normal pork indicating greater conformational changes in proteins from PSE meat that resulted in the exposure of hydrophobic aromatic amino acid residues on the surface. Also, the S₀-ANS of NAM was a function of storage time. The equations were as follows: S₀-ANS = 16.9 × storage mo + 123 for normal and S₀-ANS = 17.5 × storage mo + 164 for PSE. NAM from frozen normal pork had lower α-helical content than comparable fresh pork. With extended frozen storage, viscosity of NAM from PSE meat was lower than that from normal pork. The sulfhydryl and disulfide contents were unchanged. Electrophoresis revealed an extra 95 to 100 kDa band from PSE meat NAM, possibly from α-actinin or myosin degradation. Water-binding capacity (WBC) of normal and PSE meat decreased with increasing storage time; however, there were only minor changes in thaw loss. The decrease of WBC of pork meat partially can be explained by the increase of S₀-ANS observed for the NAM. These results suggest that proteins from PSE pork are more susceptible to denaturation and degradation in fresh meat and following frozen storage.