Effects of Endpoint Temperature on the Internal Color of Pork Loin Chops of Different Quality

ABSTRACT: The effects of 5 endpoint temperatures for cooked, internal color were determined for boneless pork longissimus muscle from 4 treatment groups: normal, normal-injected, PSE, and DFD. Visual and instrumental color, myoglobin denaturation, and acid phosphatase (ACP) of raw and cooked samples were evaluated. Visual internal color became (P < 0.05) less pink as endpoint temperature increased; however, DFD chops were more pink (P < 0.05) and PSE chops were less pink (P < 0.05) than other treatments at most endpoint temperatures. Cooked color was similar (P > 0.05) for chops from normal and normal-injected groups. Myoglobin denaturation increased as endpoint temperature increased. ACP activity in raw chops was not affected by treatment group and it was a good indicator of doneness at 71.1 °C.