An economic assessment of pale, soft exudative musculature in the fresh and cured pig carcass

Abstract

ABSTRACTA study was undertaken to determine the magnitude of any financial loss incurred in the utilization of pale, soft exudative (PSE) pigmeat. Twenty pairs of first-grade bacon-weight carcasses were selected on the slaughter line. Members of each pair were of the same sex and weight but one had an m. longissimus dorsi pH at 45 min post mortem (pH1) of 5·4 to 5·8 (PSE) and the other a pH, of 6·2 to 6·5 (normal). One side of each carcass was processed for Wiltshire bacon and the other was cut into retail joints, which were packaged, placed in a refrigerated cabinet and measured for drip loss 72 h later. PSE, compared with normal carcasses, had a lower bacon yield (16g/kg) and drip loss from fresh PSE meat was more than double (17·0 v. 7·0g/kg trimmed carcass weight). In shop testing, the sales of bacon from the two types of carcass were similar; with the fresh meat fewer PSE cuts were sold (0·23) but mainly during the final test day. It would appear that an economic assessment of PSE meat in Wiltshire curing need consider a reduced bacon yield only (= £1·13 per carcass at the present difference of 0·8 kg). The reduced financial return on a PSE carcass of similar weight for fresh meat was calculated to be zero to £8·74, depending upon the type of retailing operation and effort devoted to ensuring an early sale of PSE cuts.