title: The effect of electrical stimulation, time of boning and high temperature conditioning on sensory quality traits of porcine Longissimus dorsi muscle.
abstract: The effects of electrical stimulation (300 V, 1 A, 50 Hz, AC, 30 s) and high temperature conditioning (4h/15°C) on sensory quality traits of hot- and cold-boned, vacuum-packaged longissimus dorsi muscle of halothanenegative pigs were assessed at 12 days post mortem. Electrical stimulation accelerated the pH fall significantly, but had negligible effects on all quality traits measured, i.e. shear force, drip formation, fresh meat colour, cooking loss and degree of sarcoplasmic protein denaturation (p > 0·05). As compared with cold boning, hot boning significantly lowered drip losses (p < 0·05). Shear forces, which increased as a result of hot boning (p < 0·05), were reduced again through a 4 h/15°C conditioning period before chilling at 1 ±1°C. In addition, high temperature conditioning resulted in significantly lower drip losses (p < 0·05). It is suggested that prevention of cold-induced reduction of proteolytic enzyme activity is primarily responsible for both these findings.
authors: Department of the Science of Food of Animal Origin, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Utrecht, PO Box 80175, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: R L
authors: RL
authors: van Laack
authors: F J
authors: FJ
authors: Smulders