MUSCLE TEMPERATURE, pH AND RATE OF RIGOR DEVELOPMENT IN RELATION TO QUALITY AND QUANTITY CHARACTERISTICS OF PIG CARCASSES

Abstract

A total of 306 pig carcasses of purebred Lacombes and crossbreds (sired by Duroc, Chester, and Pietrain boars) were used to study relationships between early postmortem muscle properties and subsequent meat quality. One hour post-mortem, 22, 36, and 42% of the carcasses were judged to have complete, partial, and nil muscular rigidity (rigor mortis), respectively. Two hours post-mortem, 9% of carcasses still showed no indication of stiffening of the musculature. Rapid rigor development was associated with significantly lower pH, higher transmission values (i.e. lower solubility of the sarcoplasmic proteins), higher deep muscle temperature, and greater leanness and muscularity. Shear values were negatively associated with muscle pH. Multiple regression analysis indicated that ultimate meat quality (% transmission) could be predicted with only moderate precision (R² = 26%) from knowledge of pH and temperature up to 2 h post-mortem and the precision was not meaningfully improved by inclusion of rigor score.