Development of an autonomous, wireless pH and temperature sensing system for monitoring pig meat quality

Abstract

This paper focuses on the development of a unique wireless pH and temperature monitoring system to assess pig meat quality. Pale, soft and exudative (PSE) pig meat continues to be a major problem in the pig meat industry today. The PSE condition in pork is related to a number of factors including genetics, pre-slaughter stress and insufficient chilling of pig carcasses, which cause a rapid rate of glycolysis post-mortem (<1 h). As a result the pH drops to low levels while the muscle temperature is still high. A wireless dual channel system that monitors pH and temperature simultaneously has been developed to provide pH and temperature data of the carcass during the first 24 h after slaughter. We have demonstrated that this approach can distinguish in real time, pH and temperature profiles that are ‘non-normal’, and identify carcasses that are PSE positive quickly and easily.