Comparison of androst-16-ene steroid levels determined by a colorimetric assay with boar taint estimated by a trained sensory panel.
A group of 17 intact male pigs and 3 gilts ranging in weight from 96 to 260 kg was selected for sensory evaluation of boar taint in loin chops. Samples were evaluated by 10 trained judges using a 10-cm graphic scale for rating off-aroma, off-flavor, pork flavor, softness, tenderness, juiciness, and residual tissue. In addition, a fry test for taint was conducted by four experienced testers on fat samples from all animals. Androst-16-ene steroid levels were measured in salivary gland and fat. Two versions of a colorimetric assay for the androst-16-ene steroids were used, a complete version, in which cholesterol was removed from the tissue extracts using a digitonin-Sepharose affinity column, and a simplified version, which does not include this step. The off-aroma and off-flavor sensory scores showed a good correlation with the androst-16-ene levels in fat and salivary glands and high correlations were obtained between the androst-16-ene steroid levels in fat and salivary glands. The levels of the androst-16-ene steroids in the salivary gland were highly correlated with the levels of estrogen in the blood and to a lesser extent with the levels of testosterone in the blood. Similar correlation coefficients were obtained between salivary gland androst-16-ene steroid levels measured using either the complete or simplified versions of the colorimetric assay and the off-aroma and off-flavor sensory scores. The results of the fry test were variable and no statistically significant correlations were obtained between the fry test results and the off-aroma and off-flavor sensory scores from the trained sensory panel.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Squires
E J
EJ
Dept. of Anim. & Poult. Sci., University of Guelph, Ontario.
Gullett
E A
EA
Fisher
K R
KR
Partlow
G D
GD
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000736:Androstenes / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D003124:Colorimetry; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D009812:Odorants; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry; D013552:Swine; D013649:Taste; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D000736:Androstenes; D004967:Estrogens; D013739:Testosterone