The Effect of Genotype, Sex and Intramuscular Fat Content on the Colour of Pork

Abstract

The goal of this experiment was to establish the effect of genotype, sex and intramuscular fat (IMF) content in the musculus longissimus lumborum et thoracis (MLLT) on the colour of pork. The values of meat colour parameters were balanced in both gilts and barrows without significant differences (p < 0.05). The average value of the lightness parameter L* was 61.35 ± 5.31 in barrows in our research and 60.14 ± 4.94 in gilts. The percentage of yellow spectrum b* ranged within a narrow zone of from 13.67 ± 2.14 (gilts) to 13.88 ± 2.02 (barrows). The colour saturation value (C*) for meat from barrows (14.42 ± 2,33) differed by just 0.21 from the meat from gilts (14.21 ± 2.51). The lightest meat with the highest L* value, was from pigs to be slaughtered with the highest IMF content (5.00 to 9.50%) 62.53 ± 4.26, or the group with a IMF content of 3.00 to 3.99% (62.12 ± 4.96). The lightness value was lowest (58.73 ± 5.43) in the group with the lowest IMF content (1.85 to 2.99%). To establish the effect of genotype on the colour of pork two hybrid combinations were monitored: (CLW × CL) × D and (CLW × CL) × (D × BL). Different paternal lines in the groups did not affect any of the meat colour indicators significantly.