MeatScience37 (1994) 411420 1994 ElsevierScienceLimited Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0309-1740/94/$7.

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ELSEVIER

Objective Assessment of Pork Quality M. D. Garrido, J. Pedauy6, S. Bafi6n & J. Laencina

Tecnologla de los Alimentos, Facultad Veterinaria, Campus de Espinardo, 30071 Murcia, Spain (Received 24 May 1993; revised version received 10 June 1993; accepted 7 July 1993)

ABSTRACT Several objective methods for estimating pork quality were studied." internal light scattering (FOP), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, colour, water holding capacity (WHC), soluble proteins (SP), pigment content, intramuscular fat (i.m. fat), and moisture. The measurements were made on the S e m i m e m b r a n o s u s and L o n g i s s i m u s t h o r a c i s at 45 rain and 24 h p o s t m o r t e m in some cases and on the S e m i m e m b r a n o s u s in others. Most of the measurements are significantly different between normal, PSE and DFD quality categories. There is a good correlation between p H values in both muscles: pH4sSM-pH45LT (r=O.74) and pH24SM-pHz4LT (r=O.71). At 45 rain the eorrelation of EC with FOP and p H was r=0.56 and r=~).48 respectively. Lower correlations were found in other parameters. The results from principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the three first components explained 60.3% of the total variation and the most important variables for the first PC were pH45 and EC45.

INTRODUCTION

The growing interest of consumers in meat quality and that of the meat industry in satisfying this interest and selecting the most appropiate use for its products are sufficient justification for the development of probes for categorizing meat soon after slaughter and other related studies. Most of these probes are based on the optical and electrical properties of muscle. The measurements of internal light scattering by fibre optic probe (FOP) and of electrical conductivity by quality meter are two alternatives
to p H measurements for the classification o f P S E and D F D
411

meats

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M. D. Garrido, J. PedauyO, S. Ba~6n, J. Laencina

(MacDougall, 1984) since a pH meter is difficult to use on the slaughter line. Both instruments are robust, easy to use and do not require constant recalibration. Evaluating colour by colorimeter (Minolta, Colormet) is another alternative since PSE and D F D meats are different in this respect. Visual assessments of pork paleness by observer panels, were reported to show a linear correlation with L* or brightness values (Elliot, 1969; MacDougall et al., 1969; Van der Wal et al., 1987, 1992; Eikelenbo0m et al., 1992). There are other characteristics of the muscle which vary according to quality. It has been known, for example, that the extent of denaturation of the muscle proteins differs in normal and PSE meat (Wismer-Pedersen, 1959; Bendall & Lawrie, 1964; MacDougall & Disney, 1967)). Thus, the measurement of protein solubility and other characteristics of meat such as the concentration of haem pigments (Warriss et al., 1990; Eikelenboom etal., 1992; Trout, 1992), water holding capacity (Grau et al., 1953; BartonGade, 1980; Kauffman et al., 1986) and intramuscular fat (Van der Wal et al., 1992) can also help classify meat although the disadvantage of these methods is that they are essentially destructive and d o not provide immediate results. In this paper, we evaluate different instrumental and analytical methods as predictors of pork meat quality and the relationships between these methods based on data collected over a period of 2 years from pig carcasses in the Murcia region.

MATERIAL AND METHODS Three hundred and twelve pork carcasses from commercial breeds (gilts: Landrace Large White; boars of various breeds) were tested. The animals were slaughtered in accordance with Spanish regulations (RTS, R.D. 3263, 261176). The distance between pig farm and slaughterhouse varied between 1.5 and 40 km, and the rest period and fasting from 3 to 12 h. The animals were stunned by electronarcosis (110-275 V for 4-5 s) and conventional chilling (4-5C for 24 h) w~as used. The carcasses were sampled randomly with a maximum of 15 samples per day over a 12 month period. Measurements of internal light scattering with a Fibre Optic Probe (FOP, Premier Electronics Northern Ltd, UK), electrical conductivity (EC) with a Quality Meter (QM, Quality Meter, Techpron, Munich, Germany) and pH (pH meter Crison 506 with Ingold Xerolyt combined electrode), were made on the left side of the carcass at 45 min and 24 h p o s t m o r t e m (pm). They were carried out in the S e m i m e m b r a n o s u s (SM) and Longissimus thoracis (LT) at a position between the third and

Objective assessment of pork quality

413

fourth from last rib. In all cases, the average of triplicate readings was recorded. The meats were classified as DFD, normal and PSE according to FOP, EC and pH measurements made in the LT and SM muscles at 45 min and 24 h pm (ten parameters in all) according to the following threshold values (Garrido et al., 1992): FOP45 ( D F D < 18<normaI<35<PSE), FOP24 (DFD<25<normal<45<PSE), EC (DFD<5<normal<10<PSE), pH4s (PSE<5.8<normal) and pH24 (normal<6.2<DFD). Meats with fewer than seven parameters corresponding to a particular quality were classified as intermediate: slightly D F D or slightly PSE. Samples of SM were removed at 24 h pm for colour measurements (L*, a*, b* values) using a Minolta (Minolta Chromameter II, CR 200/08 Minolta Camera Co., Ltd, Japan), before the fat was removed from the meat. The measurements were taken on a freshly cut surface of the muscle. After the samples were cut, water holding capacity (WHC), solubility of proteins (SP), moisture, intramuscular fat (i. m. fat) and haem pigment concentration, were determined. The W H C (%) was determined according to the filter paper press method of Grau and H a m m (1953), and the SP (UA4g) using Biuret reagent (Barton-Gade, 1980). Moisture (%) was assessed by the m eihod described in the ISO regulations 1442 while i.m. fat (%) was measured according to ISO regulations 1443 after prior digestion of the sample in C1H. The fat was extracted using petroleum ether as solvent. Further samples were used to determine pigment concentration (mg/g) according to Trout (1991). The samples were homogenized in phosphate buffer (pH 6.5) and treated with Triton X-100 and sodium nitrate (65 mM). The statistical study of the results was carried out using simple variance analysis, Pearson's correlations and principal component analysis (PCA).

RESULTS A N D DISCUSSION Table 1 shows the mean, standard deviation and the minimum and maximum values of the quality characteristics studied. It can be seen that the FOP and EC values in the SM muscle are slightly higher than the corresponding measurements in the LT. The pH values are similar to those obtained by L6pez-Bote et al. (1989), while the FOP readings are below those found by Chizzolini et al. (1991) and close to those obtained by Warriss et al. (1989). Electrical conductivity is below that obtained by Oliver et al. (1991), while the mean values of L*, a* and b* in the SM coincide with those of Oster and Fewson, (1990).

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~f. D. Garrido, J. PedauyO, S. Bagdn, J. Laencina

TABLE 1 Means, Standard Deviations, Minimum and Maximum Values of Meat Quality Chracteristics
N
pH45 FOP45 EC45 pH24 SM LD SM LD SM LD SM LD SM LD SM LD SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM 312 312 312 312 312 312 312 312 312 312 312 312 178 178 178 301 296 207 268 279 277

Mean
6.30 6"30 15"24 10.12 5.63 4-58 5-82 5.82 25.51 21.08 7'66 4"27 46-23 7-12 4.28 39.18 6.9 1.47 73.27 0.192 1.26

SD
0.40 0-40 9.18 6-73 3.13 1-71 0.22 0-22 11.45 8.22 2'97 1"64 5"87 2.54 1.98 1-89 6-61 0.60 7-96 0.06 0.52

Min
5"08 5.20 2150 1-00 2-70 1.70 5.39 5.30 3.00 4.00 2"60 1"80 30" 13 1.66 - 1.47 31-10 1 0.53 40.25 0.056 0.13

Max
7.20 7" 15 60-00 46.00 22.20 17-10 6-70 6.89 64-00 45.00 16" 10 10"70 60-95 16-10 13.02 42 8 3.92 97.31 0.300 3-94

FOP24
EC24 L* a* b* T45 T24 I. m. fat WHC SP

Pigment

The intramuscular fat content of the samples analysed was 1.5%, similar to the 1.3% obtained by De Vries et al. (1990). This parameter is significantly correlated with marbling (Van der Wal et al., 1992), hence its interest as a quality factor. However, this result is below the 2% recommended in Danish studies as a mark of acceptable quality (BartonGade, 1991). Compared with the studies of Ldpez-Bote et al. (1989) and Oliver et al. (1991), the soluble protein concentration is higher. The characteristics of the samples according to quality (DFD, slightly D F D , normal, slightly PSE and PSE) in LT and SM, are given in Tables 2 and 3. Of the samples analysed, 18 were classified as D F D (5.7%), 207 slightly D F D (66.3%), 81 as normal (25, 9%), five slightly PSE (1.6%) and one PSE. This percentage of PSE or slightly PSE meat is well below the 35% detected by Oliver et al. (1988) in Spain and the 41% by Kallweit (1981) in Germany, both basing their results on the pH45 values. No significant differences can be appreciated between D F D and slightly D F D except in FOP24 LT, EC24 SM and pH24 in both muscles, nor [between PSE and slightly PSE except in FOP45 LT and EC45 LT. Similar results were found for the extremely PSE and PSE categories by Oliver

TABLE 2 M e a t Quality Characteristics o f Different Quality Categories in the LT Muscle

DFD N
m

Slightly DFD Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD N Mean SD

Normal

Slightly PSE

PSE

Mean

SD

pH45 FOP45 EC45 pH24 FOP24 EC24

18 18 18 18 18 18

6.67 ~ 6-5 a 4.23 a 6.09 a 15-17" 3"69~

2.39 4.40 5.18 0.28 6.14 0"66

208 208 208 208 208 208

6-40 b 8-98 a 4.12 a 5.84 b 20.98 b 3"87 a

0.31 5.71 0.97 0.19 7.79 1"36

80 80 80 80 80 80

6.03 12.43 b 5.36 b 5.73 c 22.77 b 5'16 b

0.41 6-33 1.83 0.22 9.12 1"72

5 5 5 5 5 5

5-52 d 26.40 9.90 5.65 d 17.20 ~b 7.66

0.27 8.56 3.86 0.16 4.80 1.68

1 1 1 1 1 1

5.24 d 46.00 d 17.10 d 5.53 d 36.00 "b 10.70

M e a n s with different superscripts are significantly different ( P < 0.05).

TABLE 3 M e a t Quality Characteristics o f Different Quality Categories in the S M Muscle

DFD N Mean SD N Mean SD N

Slightly DFD

Normal

Slightly PSE Mean SD N

PSE Mean SD

Mean

SD

pH45 FOP45 EC45 pH24 FOP24 EC24 L WHC SP Pigment Moisture I. m. fat

18 18 18 18 18 18 8 16 18 17 12 11

6.62 a 0.22 9-27 a 4.15 4.25 a 0.65 6.09 a 0.22 17-56" 8-11 4-8& 1.14 45.32 5.31 76.12 5.66 0-196 0.03 1.35 0.41 74-26 1.42 1.18 0-35

208 208 208 208 208 208 107 174 181 183 154 150

6.41 a 13.@ 4.81" 5-86 b 23-54 b 7.00 a 46.62 73.71 0-193 1.29 74.87 1.51

0.32 7.01 1.89 0.20 9.41 2.54 6-23 7.69 0.04 0.51 1.65 0.72

80 80 80 80 80 80 57 72 74 73 57 51

6.01 b 18.74 b 7.16 b 5.68 e 30.57 ~ 9.73 45.84 72.06 0.191 1.18 74.80 1.76

0.40 10.00 3.61 0.18 12.85 2.95 5.25 8'97 0-10 0.55 1.67 1.05

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 5 5

5.44 0.26 45.20 13.54 17.44 ~ 1.47 5.66 bc 0-17 49-00 a~ 12-73 10.96 d 2.75 43.42 6.52 68.43 3.96 0.182 0.04 0.92 0.46 74.98 0.97 1.64 0.87

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ---

5-34 cb 36.00 20'20 5.54 bc 56"00 d 13.21 ~ 49.12 65.63 0.180 1.85 ---

M e a n s with different superscripts are significantly different ( P < 0.05).

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M. D. Garrido, J. PedauyO, S. Ba~6n, J. Laencina

et al. (1991) while F O P 2 4 also permitted Van der Wal et al. (1987) to differentiate between both categories of D F D and PSE. Most of the mean values from each parameters are significantly different between normal, PSE and DFD. However, the FOP values for normal and D F D meat are sometimes similar, particularly in the case of FOP45, coinciding with the findings of Warriss et al. (1989). The pH45 measurement permits the differentiation between normal and PSE, and the pH24 permits the same between normal and DFD, although this difference was not significant (P<0.05). This is in agreement with the results of L6pez-Bote et al. (1989), Warriss et al. (1989) and Brown (1992). On the other hand, W H C and SP distinguish between PSE and D F D but not between normal and D F D meat. Similar results were obtained by L6pez-Bote et al. (1989). Both Oster and Fewson (1990) and Trout (1992) found the L* value to be different for D F D and PSE meat, although the differences are less for D F D and normal. Pigment content is slightly different for PSE, normal and D F D meat, although no differences are apparent for moisture content and intramuscular fat. Trout (1992) also found different pigment concentrations in extremely D F D and PSE meat. Tables 4 and 5 shows the correlations between the quality characteristics studied in LT and SM respectively. In general, they are low. This may be due to the small number of PSE and slightly PSE meats found, which would reduce the variability of the overall sample. Chizzolini et al. (1991) obtained similar correlations in SM muscle. There is a low degree of correlation, although still significant (P<0.01), between FOP and EC in both muscles studied whilst there is a better correlation for pH (pHasSM-pH45LT, r=0.74, P<0.001; pH24SM-pHz4LT , r=0.71 P<0.001). EC values are moderately correlated with FOP and pH. These results are similar for both muscles. The highest correlations are those between FOP45SM-EC45SM (r=0.56, P<0.001) and between
TABLE 4 Coefficients o f C o r r e l a t i o n between M e a t Quality Characteristics in Longissimus thoracis

FOP45
FOP45 EC45 pH45 FOP24 ECe4 pH24

EC45

p~t/45

FOP24

EC24

PH24

0"45" -0"33" 0"01 0.27" - 0.19 b

-0"43" -0" 1 0"56" -0-17 b

0'03 -0"45" 0"54"

0"02 -0"08

-0.26 a

a p < 0"001; b p < 0"01; P < 0"05.

TABLE 5 C o r r e l a t i o n Coefficients between M e a t Quality Characteristics in Semimembranosus

FOP45

EC45

pH45

FOP24 EC24

pH24

L*

a*

b*

WHC

SP

Pigment Moisture I. m. fat

FOP45 EC45 pH45 FOP24 EC24 PH24 L* 0.20" -0.13 c 0.14 0.12 -0.02 -0'15 c -0.11 -0.21" -0.05 0.05 -0.23" -0.08 -0.02 -0.09 0.03 0.02 -0.11 0.01 0.23" 0.22 b -0.18 ~ -0.24 b 0.26 a 0"05 -0.10 -0.03 -0.11 -0.47" 0.51" 0"09 0'06 -0.45 a -0.18 0.36" -0.30" -0"24 b -0"01 0.58" 0.20 c -0.36" 0.13 0.21 b -0.22 b -0.2P 0.24 ~ -0.02 0.12 -0.09 -0.02

a*

b* WHC SP Pigment Moisture I. m. fat

0.56" -0.31" 0.35 a 0.20" -0.19" 0.04 0.16 0.01 -0.17 b -0.02 -0.02 0.09 0.13 0.00 -0.10 0.08

-0.48" 0.38" 0.36" -0.13 ~ 0.11 -0.03 0-02 -0.02 -0"04 -0.10 -0.03 0.17

-0.08 -0.42" 0.49" 0.00 0.07 0.03 0.03 0"03 -0.10 -0.02 -0.23 a

-0-23 a -0.34"

-0.23 b

" P < 0.001; b p < 0'01; c p < 0"05.

4~

418

M. D. Garrido, J. PedauyO, S. Ba~6n, J. Laencina

pH45SM-EC45SM (r=-0.48, P<0.001), although this latter relationship is still below that found by Oliver et al. (1991) (r=-0.7) and Fischer and Honikel (1986) (r=-0.89). The L* and a* values are slightly correlated with pigment content, r--0.45 and r=0.58, respectively. Warriss et al. (1990) obtained a similar correlation for the L*-pigment (r=-0.34). On the other hand, there is hardly any relationship between FOP and L*, nor between FOP and pigment content. In spite of this, the FOPz4-pigment correlation is significant (P<0.001). Similar results were obtained by Somers et al. (1985). However, Warriss et al. (1989) found a correlation coefficient of r=0.50 for FOP45-L* and r=0.86 for FOP24-L*. Lower or non significant correlations were found between pigment content, WHC, soluble proteins or intramuscular fat. Only between pigments and intramuscular fat was this coefficient slightly higher and the coefficient was significant between pH24-WHC and FOP24-WHC (P<0.001 and P<0.05 respectively). Of the three parameters pH, FOP and EC, the first seems to be a good predictor of quality at 45 min to differentiate between normal and PSE meat, and at 24 h to differentiate normal and D F D meat. The greatest differences in FOP values are found between normal meat and meat tending towards PSE. EC is better for detecting PSE meat. The other parameters studied also provided information on meat quality although only the W H C values and pigment content show important variations according to the qualities categories. In order to determine the relationship between the on-line measurements used in both muscles, a principal components analysis (PCA) has been carried out. The results show that the first component (PC1) explained 34.9% and the two first components explained 49.1% of the total variation. Eigenvectors of each variable for the two PCs are shown in Table 6. Measurements taken at 45 min were slightly higher than the 24 h values in PC1. The most important variables in PC1 were pH45 and EC45. EC and FOP presented a positive correlation with PC1, while pH showed a negative correlation. The samples assumed negative values in PC1 in the DFD-direction and positive in the PSE-direction. When the D F D interval in PC1 was studied, the 18 lowest values corresponded to 8 D F D and 10 slightly D F D samples. When the next 208 samples were taken into account, sample distributions in PC1 were: 10 DFD, 176 slightly D F D and 22 normal. As can be seen, PC1 was not a great value for identifying D F D meats. When the PSE interval in PC1 was studied, the greatest value corresponded to the PSE sample. The next five greater values corresponded to slightly PSE samples. PC1, then. is a variable which can be used to detect PSE meats, although, the low number of carcasses

Objective assessment of pork quality

419

TABLE 6

Coefficients in the Eigenvectors for the two First Principal Components

Variable PC1 PC2

FOP45 SM FOP45 LD FOP24 SM FOP24 LD EC45 SM EC45 LD EC24 SM EC24 LD pH45 SM pH45 LD pH24 SM pH24 LD

0.26 0.27 0.17 0.03 0.34 0-31 0-24 0.30 -0.40 -0.38 -0.28 -0-29

0.33 0-21 0-42 0.20 0-35 0.22 0-01 0.02 0-21 0-25 0-40 0-43

classified as P S E and slightly P S E makes it difficult to d r a w any conclusion in this respect. In b o t h PC1 and PC2, p H had the highest loading, which shows the value o f this p a r a m e t e r as a predictor o f meat quality.

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