Palatability and Selected Related Characteristics of Three Types of Roasted Porcine Muscle

SUMMARY: A completely randomized design was followed to evaluate 48 roasts posterior third of the loin) from 12 Duroc and 12 Poland China barrows. Antemortem treatment of pigs produced "normal", pale-soft-exudative (PSE) and dark-firm-dry (DFD) longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle. Meat was roasted at 350°F to an internal temperature of 167°F and evaluated by organoleptic and selected objective measurements. There was no significant organoleptic preference for one type ("normal", PSE, DFD) of LD. Also, differences among types of muscle were not significant for roasting time, volume of press fluid or total moisture (press method); whereas roasting losses, total moisture (Brabender) and pH of LD were affected significantly by type of muscle. In general, there were significant ( P < 0.05) differences between PSE and DFD muscle, and between "normal" and DFD muscle. DFD muscle exhibited the smallest roasting loss and greatest total moisture, whereas PSE muscle had the greatest roasting loss and least total moisture. DFD muscle rated highest in pH and lowest in Warner-Bratzler shear value. LD from Durocs was more tender ( P < 0.05), had a higher ( P < 0.05) pH, and contained less (P < 0.01) total moisture (Brabender) than LD from Poland Chinas. Cooking losses were greater (P < 0.05) for roasts from Durocs than for roasts from Poland Chinas.