HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ryu, Y. C. Articles by Kim, B. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ryu, Y. C. Articles by Kim, B. C.

Comparison of histochemical characteristics in various pork groups categorized by postmortem metabolic rate and pork quality¹

Division of Food Science, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 136713, Korea

² Corresponding author: bckim{at}korea.ac.kr

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the variations in histochemical characteristics of muscle samples segregated according to metabolic rates (MR) and pork quality attributes. A total of 231 crossbred Duroc x (Yorkshire x Landrace) pigs was evaluated. Samples of the LM were taken to evaluate histochemical characteristics, postmortem MR, and meat quality. Samples were classified into fast, normal, and slow MR groups based on muscle pH at 45 min and R-value. Drip loss and lightness (L*) were used to assign samples to 1 of 4 quality classes. Pale, soft, and exudative pork belonging in the fast group had the greatest (P < 0.05) percentage of type IIb fibers, and RSE (reddish-pink, soft, and exudative) pork belonging in the fast group had a similar tendency. Additionally, RFN (reddish-pink, firm, and nonexudative) pork belonging in the normal group showed a lower (P < 0.05) percentage of type IIb fibers than PSE or RSE, regardless of MR, and DFD pork had the lowest (P < 0.05) percentage of type IIb fibers. In general, the fast-glycolyzing PSE pork with the lowest pH at both 45 min and 24 h had greater percentages of type IIb fibers than the fast-glycolyzing RFN pork. There were more fiber-type composition differences between quality classes in pork undergoing a fast rate of metabolism compared with pork undergoing a normal rate of metabolism. It can be concluded that muscle histochemical characteristics are associated with early postmortem MR, the extent of glycolysis, and, thereby, pork quality; however, these effects are limited to the pigs exhibiting a fast glycolytic rate.

Key Words: metabolic rate • muscle fiber • pork quality