title: Aitchbone hanging and ageing period are additive factors influencing pork eating quality.
abstract: The effects of abattoir, carcase weight (60 or 80 kg HCW), hanging method (Achilles or aitchbone) and ageing period (2 or 7 day post-slaughter) on eating quality attributes of pork were investigated in this 3×2×2×2 factorial study. A total of 144 Large White×Landrace female pigs were slaughtered at one of three abattoirs and sides hung from either the Achilles tendon or the aitchbone. After 24 h chilling, loin (M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum) and topside (M. semimembranosus) muscles were individually vacuum packaged and aged for 2 or 7 days post-slaughter. Consumers (n=852) evaluated eating quality. Neither abattoir nor carcase weight influenced tenderness, flavour or overall liking of pork. Improvements in tenderness, flavour and overall liking were found due to aitchbone hanging (P<0.001) and ageing (P<0.001) for 7 days compared with Achilles-hung carcases and pork aged for 2 days, respectively. This study demonstrated that aitchbone hanging and 7 day ageing can improve eating quality, but these effects were additive as the interaction term was not significant.
authors.affiliation: Australian Pork Limited, P.O. Box 4746, Kingston ACT 2600 Australia. Electronic address: Heather.Channon@australianpork.com.au.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Channon
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Taverner
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: D'Souza
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Warner
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D003116:Color; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D063427:Food Quality; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008460:Meat; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013552:Swine; D013649:Taste
keywords: Ageing period; Carcase weight; Eating quality; Hanging method; Pork