31P NMR study of post mortem changes in pig muscle

Abstract

The rate and the extent of post mortem pH changes in pig muscle largely determine pork quality. Fast pH fall combined with low ultimate pH leads to pale soft exudative (PSE) meat; high ultimate pH leads to dark firm dry (DFD) meat. Post mortem metabolism was studied in pig muscle using 31P NMR. Fifteen pigs, i.e. 7 Large White pigs and 8 Pietrain pigs, were used. Five pigs of each breed were slaughtered, taking care to minimize preslaughter stress. The other pigs (3 Large Whites and 2 Pietrains) were injected with 0·1 mg adrenaline per kg liveweight before slaughter, in order to increase meat ultimate pH. All the animals were killed by electronarcosis and exsanguination. Three of the adrenaline-treated pigs (1 Large White and 2 Pietrains) gave meat with ultimate pH above 6 (DFD meat). The pigs with normal muscle ultimate pH, i.e. 6 Large Whites and 6 Pietrains, had very variable rates of post mortem muscle metabolism (pH at 30 min after slaughter: 6·17–6·85 in Large Whites; 6·04–6·23 in Pietrains). The relationships between pH and ATP changes were similar in all pigs showing normal muscle ultimate pH, whereas ATP disappeared at a high pH value (on average pH 6·4) in pigs with high ultimate pH. The course of post mortem biochemical changes in a given animal could be predicted rather well by examination of a single 31P NMR spectrum obtained around 30 min after death. At this time, muscle with a low rate of metabolism simultaneously showed medium to high pH, high ATP content (4–6·8 μmol/g) and rather low Pi content (6–14 μmol/g); muscle with a fast rate of metabolism (PSE-prone muscle) had low pH, low to medium ATP content (1·1–4 μmol/g) and generally high phosphomonoester (PME) content (9–23 μmol/g); muscle with high ultimate pH (DFD-prone muscle) had high pH, low PME content (4–8 μmol/g) and high Pi content (22–27 μmol/g).