The effect of chilling method on quality of pork with elevated glycogen stores

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of accelerated chilling (AC) on selected attributes of LLWH (Landrace × Large White) × Hampshire pork with elevated glycogen stores. Investigation showed that application of accelerated chilling compared to conventional chilling reduced the temperature of longissimus muscle, increased ultimate pH (pH48), and significantly decreased lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) of meat at 48 hr postmortem without any effect on drip loss. Muscles with high (GP ≥ 180 µmol/g) glycogen stores from AC treatment produced less lactate than those from CC (conventional chilling) treatment. However, longissimus muscles exhibited low ultimate pH and elevated drip loss regardless of the type of the chilling treatments. Practical applications The investigation has shown that application of accelerated chilling (regardless of glycogen stores) has however a very limited ability to improve the quality of LLWH fatteners. The application of AC may reduce lactate production in muscles with high glycogen stores, but cannot prevent negative alterations in meat quality. Thus, the use of this treatment for pork with elevated glycogen stores seems negligible and commercially unjustified.