Journal of Animal Science, Vol 68, 108-116, Copyright © 1990 by American Society of Animal Science

Effect of Butylated Hydroxyanisole and Ascorbic Acid on Storage Stability of Restructured Pork

¹ Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061

Pork shoulders from carcasses of US 1 market hogs (81.7 to 108 kg live wt) slaughtered at the VPI & SU Meat Laboratory were removed 72 h postmortem and deboned. Restructured chops were formulated to contain 20% fat and eight experimental batches were allotted randomly to treatments in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment. Factors were with or without .01% butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), .01% ascorbic acid (AA) and .125% sodium mpolyphosphate (STP). These batches were formed into logs 7.6 cm in diameter, wrapped, freeze-tempered to 4.4°C. pressed (2 s at 28.1 to 35.2 kg/cm²), frozen (-18°C for 24 h) and cut into chops 1 cm thick. Sliced chops from each treatment were allotted randomly to freezer storage periods of 0, 30, 60 and 90 d. Restructured pork chops containing BHA and STP yielded higher general appearance and color scores than controls when stored for up to 90 d at -18°C. Ascorbic acid immediately reduced general appearance, color and flavor scores, but not malonaldehyde content. Addition of BHA moderated the effects of AA on visual and sensory characteristics and retarded the onset of oxidative rancidity as measured by malonaldehyde content. The BHA, AA and STP did not influence visual cohesiveness and fat dispersion scores but generally reduced cooking losses. The STP did not affect iuiciness scores but lowered toughness values.

Key Words: Pork • Antioxidants • Storage Quality

Submitted on October 3, 1988
Accepted on May 5, 1989