Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements on pork of various qualities

Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements were made on pork samples from pigs of various genetic types (Large White, halothane positive and halothane-negative Pietrain) slaughtered either under minimal stress or somewhat stressful conditions. The ¹H spin-lattice (T₁) and spin-spin (T₂) relaxation times of water protons were recorded. The observed T₁ was single-exponential but a two-component T₂ relaxation behaviour (components referred to as T_2a and T_2b) was observed. Highly significant relationships were found between T₁ and all the meat characteristics studied. T_2a was related only to ultimate pH and cooking loss, whereas T_2b was more closely related to the rate of post-mortem pH fall and protein denaturation criteria.