Pork Loin Quality Research Articles

Quality of Pork Loin Subjected to Different Temperature–Time Combinations of Sous Vide Cooking

Cooking with the sous vide method preserves nutritional value and maintains desirable sensory qualities of food, thanks to vacuum-sealed heat treatment at controlled low temperatures. In meat, the right combination of temperature and time i

Effects of triple-layer chitosan/furcellaran mini-/nanoemulsions with oregano essential oil and LL37 bioactive peptide on shelf-life of cold/frozen stored pork loin

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of triple-layer chitosan/furcellaran mini-/nanoemulsions with oregano essential oil and a bioactive peptide (LL37) on the microbiological quality and sensory properties of pork loins stored at 4 °C and −20 °C for 18 days and 6 months, respectively. Emulsions were applied using electrospraying technique. Multilayer mini-/nanoemulsions significantly inhibited the growth of microbes and improved sensory quality during storage. In the study, it was shown that coatings inhibited yeast and molds, total aerobic bacteria and Pseudomonas spp. by 1.24–3.46, 1.12–4.40, and 2.61–5.16 log cfu/g, respectively, compared to control at 4 °C. According to sensory analysis, the control and coated samples were deemed unacceptable after 9 and 18 days, respectively, at 4 °C. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that coatings can be effectively used for preservation of meat and meat products, prolonging food safety and quality, extending shelf-life and reducing food waste.

Electrical Stimulation Induces Activation of Mitochondrial Apoptotic Pathway and Down-Regulates Heat Shock Proteins in Pork: An Innovative Strategy for Enhancing the Ripening Process and Quality of Dry-Cured Loin Ham.

A fundamental regulatory framework to elucidate the role of electrical stimulation (ES) in reducing long production cycles, enhancing protein utilization, and boosting product quality of dry-cured ham is essential. However, how mitochondria and enzymes in meat fibers are altered by ES during post-processing, curing, and fermentation procedures remains elusive. This study sought to explore the impact of ES on the regulation of heat shock proteins (HSP27, HSP70), apoptotic pathways, and subsequent influences on dry-cured pork loin quality. The gathered data validated the hypothesis that ES notably escalates mitochondrial oxidative stress and accelerates mitochondrial degradation along the ripening process. The proapoptotic response in ES-treated samples was increased by 120.7%, with a cellular apoptosis rate 5-fold higher than that in control samples. This mitochondrial degradation is marked by increased ratios of Bax/Bcl-2 protein along the time course, indicating that apoptosis could contribute to the dry-cured ham processing. ES was shown to further down-regulate HSP27 and HSP70, establishing a direct correlation with the activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathways, accompanied by dry-cured ham quality improvements. The findings show that ES plays a crucial role in facilitating the ripening of dry-cured ham by inducing mitochondrial apoptosis to reduce HSP expression. This knowledge not only explains the fundamental mechanisms behind myofibril degradation in dry-cured ham production but also offers a promising approach to enhance quality and consistency.

Exploring effects of organic selenium supplementation on pork loin: Se content, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and metabolomic profiling during storage.

This research was conducted to study the effects of organic selenium (Se) supplements at different levels on pork loin quality during storage. Fifteen pork loins were procured randomly from three groups, Con (fed basal diet), Se15 (fed 0.15 ppm organic Se along with 0.10 ppm inorganic Se), and Se45 (fed 0.45 ppm organic Se along with 0.10 ppm inorganic Se). Each sample was analyzed for Se contents, antioxidant properties (glutathione peroxidase [GPx] activity, 2,2'-azinobis-[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid] [ABTS] and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl [DPPH] radical scavenging activities, 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), physicochemical properties (water holding capacity, pH, color), and metabolomic analysis during 14-day storage period. Se45-supplemented group showed significantly higher Se contents and GPx activity than the other groups throughout the storage period. However, other antioxidant properties were not significantly affected by Se supplementation. Selenium supplementation did not have an adverse impact on physicochemical properties. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance-based metabolomic analysis indicated that the selenium supply conditions were insufficient to induce metabolic change. These results suggest that organic Se (0.15 and 0.45 ppm) can accumulate high Se content in pork loins without compromising quality.

Effects of Low Temperature-Ultrasound-Papain (LTUP) Combined Treatments on Purine Removal from Pork Loin and Its Influence on Meat Quality and Nutritional Value.

A combined pretreatment method of "low temperature-ultrasound-papain" (LTUP) was proposed to remove the purine of pork loins. Compared with untreated pork loin, under optimal conditions (temperature 58 °C, ultrasound density 100 W/cm2, and papain concentration 0.085%), the purine removal rate of treated pork loin could reach 59.29 ± 1.39%. The meat quality of pork loin treated with the LTUP method such as hardness and chewiness decreased by 58.37% and 64.38%, respectively, and the in vitro protein digestibility was increased by 19.64%; the cooking loss was decreased by 15.45%, compared with the simulated household blanching process (HT). In view of the high purine removal rate, the losses of free amino acids and soluble peptides were acceptable and reasonable. SEM and LF-NMR results showed that low temperature and ultrasound combined with papain treatment opened a channel for purine transfer and promoted purine dissolution by affecting the protein structure of pork loin. In addition, the migration of water within the muscle tissue was also related to purine removal. In summary, LTUP is recommended as an efficient and green way for the meat industry to remove purine.

The impact of overnight lairage on meat quality and storage stability of pork loin.

Lairage, a part of the animal welfare practices, has been known to mitigate pre-slaughter stress in animals. However, research investigating the relationship between lairage and pork meat quality remains scarce. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the physicochemical quality and storage stability of pork from pigs subjected to immediate slaughter (CON) and those provided with a 24 h lairage before slaughter (LRG) over a 7-day storage period. The loins from 20 castrated pigs in each group, respectively, were collected at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days and used for analysis of meat quality and storage stability, including pH, meat color, moisture, water holding capacity, drip loss, cooking loss, shear force, fatty acid composition, lipid oxidation, antioxidant activity, and electrical resistance. Overall, there were no significant differences in physicochemical meat quality parameters between CON and LRG groups. Similarly, no differences were observed in the storage stability of pork including 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and electrical resistance. However, the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids was significantly higher in LRG compared to CON. In conclusion, 24 h lairage for castrated pigs had limited impact on meat quality and storage stability but led to an increase in the unsaturated fatty acid proportion.

414 Awardee Talk: Current Status and Future Opportunities for Fresh Pork Quality

Abstract Pork is often viewed as a “middle-of-the-road” option. It is typically less expensive than beef, but more expensive than chicken. While beef cuts, especially steaks, are viewed as luxury items or high-end dining experiences, pork is more of a staple food featured as a variety of fresh and processed products at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. To increase demand for pork and capture more of the high-end market, improving fresh pork loin quality has been a focus of the industry for many years. There is evidence that these efforts have been successful. Compared with pork of the past, fresh pork loins have increased pH and darker color. Additionally, the incidence of tough pork has been reduced and overall pork tenderness improved. However, per capita consumption of pork by the consumers of the United States has not changed. This suggests that consumer acceptance and demand for fresh pork may not depend on intrinsic characteristics such as pH, color, and tenderness. Extrinsic factors like endpoint cooking temperature may have a larger influence on consumer acceptability of fresh pork loin chops. It is possible that, in terms of pork quality, we have been successful in eliminating the problems of the pork industry like pale, soft and exudative pork, but this is not sufficient to reach a consistently excellent eating experience in pork loins.

Comparison between Berkshire and crossbreed on meat quality, and investigation of the relationship with fatty acid composition and meat quality.

This study aimed to compare meat quality traits between Berkshire and crossbreed (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc), and to investigate the relationship between meat quality traits and fatty acid composition. 20 Berkshire and 20 crossbreed pigs were used to compare pork loin quality and to determine the relationship between measured variables. 23 variables were measured including proximate composition, pH, drip loss and cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force, and fatty acid composition. Berkshire had higher moisture content, pH, water-holding capacity, saturated fatty acids, and redness than the crossbreed pig (p < 0.05). The fat content and polyunsaturated fatty acid were low (p < 0.05) in Berkshire. Correlation analysis showed a negatively correlation between moisture and fat content, and a positively correlation between saturated fatty acid and fat content. Moreover, saturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid were negatively correlated. As a result of factor analysis and partial least square regression, saturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid were estimated to be the main factors affecting quality characteristics of pork. Pig breed is associated with differences in meat quality, and fatty acid composition can have an effect on meat quality parameters.

Effect of feeding olive pomace acid oil on pork lipid composition, oxidative stability, colour, and sensory acceptance.

One of the targets of the meat industry is to reduce production costs and to increase the sustainability of the food chain, which has driven the attention towards the use of by-products as feed ingredients. Acid oils are fat by-products coming from the chemical refining process of edible oils, with a high energy value and that are approved as feed ingredients in the European Union. However, meat producers are hesitant to utilise them due to their varying composition and the limited understanding of their impact on animal performance and meat quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of using olive pomace acid oil (OPAO) instead of its corresponding crude olive pomace oil (OPO) or crude palm oil (PO) in pig diets on lipid composition, lipid oxidation and quality of pork loin (longissimus dorsi), fresh and after commercial refrigerated storage for 8days. The experimental design consisted of feeding pigs with four diets supplemented with a 5% of PO, OPO, OPAO or a blend (B) of PO and OPAO (50:50, w/w). Fresh and refrigerated pork loin samples were assessed for fatty acid profile; tocopherol (T) and tocotrienol (T3) composition; lipid oxidative stability with the ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange method; 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value; volatile compounds; colour; and sensory acceptance. Results showed that refrigeration reduced the total T+T3 levels and increased the TBA values and the volatile compound concentrations. The refrigerated storage also affected the instrumental colour parameters (L*, a* and b*) but not the overall acceptance of pork. Regarding the diet, pork from OPAO diet showed a higher unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid ratio than pork from PO and B diets. The lowest T+T3 concentration was found in OPO and OPAO fresh pork and in OPAO refrigerated pork. The oxidative stability of fresh pork was lower for OPAO than for PO diet, but no significant effect of the diet was observed for this parameter in refrigerated pork. The TBA values and volatile compound concentrations of fresh pork were not affected by the diet. After refrigeration, OPAO pork had the highest TBA value and volatile compound concentrations. In any case, colour and consumer acceptance of pork were not affected by diet. In conclusion, in order to upcycle acid oils in pig diets, and considering results on the lipid oxidative stability of pork, it would be preferable to add the OPAO used in this study blended with PO.

Analysis of Quality after Sous Vide of Pork Loin Wet-Aged using Pulsed Electric Field System.

The effects of wet-aging using a commercial refrigerator (CR, 4°C) and a pulsed electric field refrigerator (PEFR, 0°C and -1°C) on the quality of sous vide pork loin were analyzed. The moisture and fat contents, pH, CIE L*, CIE b*, chroma, and shear force of the wet-aged samples were lower than those of the raw meat samples, whereas the water holding capacity (WHC) was higher. The PEFR group showed higher pH, CIE b*, chroma, and WHC and lower weight loss than the CR samples. Electronic nose analysis indicated that positive flavor compounds were induced whereas negative flavor compounds were inhibited in the PEFR group. Wet-aging increased the sourness, saltiness, and umami of sous vide pork loin; the PEFR 0°C samples showed the highest umami. Sensory evaluation indicated that wet-aging improved the color of sous vide pork loin. The PEFR 0°C samples were rated higher than the raw meat and CR samples for all sensory traits. In conclusion, sous vide after wet-aging using a PEFR improved the quality of pork loin.

The Effect of Gelatin Coating and Sonication on the Quality Properties of Wet-Aging Pork Loins.

In this study, we evaluate the effect of gelatin coating and sonication of wet-aged pork loin on quality. The moisture content of wet-aged pork loin with sonication and gelatin coating was the highest in the G5S sample (5% gelatin coating and sonication), while the moisture content of wet-aged pork loin with sonication was higher than that without sonication. The pH of wet-aged pork loin with sonication was lower than that without sonication. The aging loss of 5% gelatin coating with sonication was significantly lower than that of G0 (control), while the cooking loss was the lowest in G0 wet-aged pork loin. The water holding capacity of the wet-aged pork loin was the highest in G1. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value of wet-aged pork loin was significantly decreased with coating and not affected by sonication. The gelatin coating and sonication treatment significantly increased the myofibrillar fragmentation index of the samples. Shear force of wet-aged pork loin significantly decreased as the samples were gelatin-coated and sonicated. The myofibrillar and total protein solubilities were not significantly different between samples. In conclusion, the 1% gelatin coating with sonication can enhance the quality of wet-aged pork loin.

Mechanism of improving quality of dry-aged pork loins in scoria-containing onggi, Korean earthenware as a storage container.

Many scientists have investigated solutions to reduce microbiological risks in dry-aged meat after the dry-aging technology was revived for high quality and value-added premium meat product in the market. This study aimed to investigate the effect of scoria powder in onggi (Korean earthenware) on the meat quality of pork loins during 21 days of dry aging and to elucidate its mechanism of action. The pork loins were randomly divided into three groups: aged in vacuum-packaging, onggi containing red clay only (OR), and onggi containing 30% red clay and 70% scoria powder (OS). Microbial analyses (total plate count and Lactobacillus spp.) and physicochemical analyses (pH, shear force, volatile basic nitrogen [VBN], water activity, 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, water content, water holding capacity, cooking loss, and color analysis) of aged meat were conducted. Far-infrared ray emission, quantification of immobilized L. sakei and microstructure of onggi were investigated to understand the mechanism. On day 21, the meat aged in OS exhibited lower pH, shear force, VBN, and water activity than those aged in OR, along with an increase in the number of Lactobacillus spp. OS had a smaller pore diameter than OR, implying lower gas permeability, which could promote the growth of L. sakei. OS improved the microbiological safety and storage stability of pork loin during dry aging by increasing number of Lactobacillus spp. possibly due to low permeability of OS.

Effect of temperature fluctuation during superchilling storage on the microstructure and quality of raw pork

The effect of different temperature fluctuations on the microstructure and quality of pork loins during superchilling storage was investigated. Based on the dynamic monitoring of ice crystal formation and melting in pork through cryomicroscope, the changes of ice crystals in pork were observed at different temperature points, and there was no obvious phase transition in pork at −3 °C for a short period of time, but the freeze-thaw cycles were obviously found in the samples of −3 ± 3 °C and −3 ± 5 °C groups. Results of microstructure observation showed that temperature fluctuations resulted in muscle fiber fracture and the decrease of water holding capacity of superchilling pork, where stronger temperature fluctuation showed more significant changes. The temperature fluctuation groups exhibited higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values after 20 days of storage, and contributed to the reduction of immobilized water and the increase of free water in raw pork, and had more serious drip loss. These indicated that increased temperature fluctuation promoted lipid oxidation and drip loss of pork during storage. This study provided supports to precise temperature control in cold chain logistics of raw meat.

226 Proteomic and Metabolomic Profiles are Associated with Fresh Pork Loin Quality Phenotypes

Abstract The objective was to define proteomic and metabolomic profiles associated with premium and poor-quality pork. Fresh pork loins (n=100) were aged 12 to 14 d postmortem before quality evaluation. Chops with a star probe values less than 4.5 kg, and a Hunter L score less than 47 were categorized as Premium (n=10). Chops with star probe values greater than 5.7 kg and Hunter L greater than 49.7 were categorized as Poor (n=10). Proteins soluble in low ionic strength buffer (50 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.5 and 1 mM EDTA) were extracted, digested with trypsin, and labeled with 11-plex isobaric TMT labels. Peptides were introduced to the Q-Exactive Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer and identified and quantified with Proteome Discoverer. Data were normalized to the total ion count from each run, Log2 transformed, and median normalization was performed. Only proteins identified in at least one-half of the samples containing at least two unique peptides were included in the analysis. Non-targeted metabolomic analyses were conducted on extracts (80% methanol) of each sample. Separation was conducted with a TG-5MS column (Thermo Scientific, 30m x 0.25mm x 0.25mm). Masses between 50-620 m/z were scanned at four scans/sec after electron impact ionization operating at 70eV. All data were analyzed in R 4.1.1 using the limma package with a false discovery rate of 0.05. Poor chops contained more sugars, including glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose, and galactose. Premium chops had more amino acids, including leucine, isoleucine, serine, and methionine. Proteins/peptides in greater abundance in the soluble fraction in the Premium chops (n=24 proteins) included titin, filamin, phosphoglycerate mutase, AMP deaminase, heat shock protein 27, and calcium transporting ATPase. Proteins/peptides in greater proportion in the Poor chops (n=12 proteins) included annexin, adenylate kinase, and Maillard deglycase. The results demonstrate that distinct molecular phenotypes are associated with variation in fresh pork quality.

Effect of chitosan/starch aldehyde-catechin conjugate composite coating on the quality and shelf life of fresh pork loins.

Fresh pork is susceptible to oxidation and spoilage. Edible coating containing antioxidant and antimicrobial agents can create moisture and oxygen barriers around pork and inhibit oxidation and microbial growth in the pork. In this study, chitosan in combination with starch aldehyde-catechin conjugate (SACC) was used as a novel edible coating material for preserving fresh pork loins at chilled storage (4 ± 1°C) for 14 days. Effect of chitosan/SACC composite coating on the quality of pork loins including weight loss, colour, pH value, microbial spoilage, lipid oxidation, protein oxidation, texture and sensory attributes during chilled storage was determined. Chitosan and SACC had synergistic antioxidant and antimicrobial actions. As compared with uncoated and chitosan coated pork loins, chitosan/SACC coated pork loins showed lower weight loss (7.16%), pH value (5.99), total viable count (7.11 log CFU g-1 ), total volatile base nitrogen content (130.2mg kg-1 ), lipid oxidation level (0.47 mg malondialdehyde kg-1 ), protein oxidation level (0.047 mmol free thiol group g-1 ) and shear force (27.40 N) on day 14. Meanwhile, chitosan/SACC composite coating effectively maintained the colour, micro-structure and sensory attributes of pork loins throughout chilled storage period. The shelf life of pork loins was extended from 8 days (uncoated samples) to 14 days by chitosan/SACC composite coating. Chitosan/SACC composite coating effectively retarded the oxidation and spoilage of pork loins during chilled storage. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of Dry-Aging on Quality and Palatability Attributes and Flavor-Related Metabolites of Pork Loins.

This study evaluated the effect of dry-aging on quality, palatability, and flavor-related compounds of pork loins. Ten pork loins were obtained at 7 days postmortem, divided into three equal portions, randomly assigned into three different aging methods (wet-aging (W), conventional dry-aging (DA), and UV-light dry-aging (UDA)), and aged for 21 days at 2 °C, 70% RH, and 0.8 m/s airflow. The results showed similar instrumental tenderness values across all treatments (p > 0.05), while DA and UDA had a greater water-holding capacity than WA (p < 0.05). Both DA and UDA were observed to have comparable color stability to WA up to 5 days of retail display (p > 0.05). Greater lipid oxidation was measured in both DA and UDA at the end of display compared to WA (p < 0.05). The UV light minimized microorganisms concentration on both surface and lean portions of UDA compared to other treatments (p < 0.05). The consumer panel was not able to differentiate any sensory traits and overall likeness between the treatments (p > 0.05). Metabolomics analysis, however, identified more flavor-related compounds in dry-aged meat. These findings suggested that dry-aging can be used for pork loins for value-seeking consumers, as it has a potential to generate unique dry-aged flavor in meat with no adverse impacts on meat quality and microbiological attributes.

Changes in the quality of pork loin after short-term (ten-day) storage in a supercooling refrigerator

The study aimed to evaluate pork loin quality after short-term (ten-day) storage in a supercooling refrigerator. Pork loin samples were stored for 10 days in a traditional refrigerator (control) and a commercially available supercooling refrigerator (SC). Pork quality measurements included meat pH, meat color, water holding capacity (drip loss and cooking loss), tenderness (hardness), and a sensory evaluation. Temperature changes of 0.45 ± 0.2°C and 0.02 ± 0.25°C occurred in the control and the SC, respectively, during 10 days of storage. The temperature in the SC chamber did not remain below freezing point, failing to meet expectations. Regarding the pork quality measurements, only the drip losses in the control and the SC were significantly different (4.45% vs. 2.59%, p < 0.01) after 10 days of storage. There were no significant differences between the two types of refrigerator in terms of the other measurements. Additionally, the overall acceptability of the pork loin did not vary significantly between the control and the SC when the sensory evaluation was performed. Therefore, a commercial SC could prove beneficial in terms of water holding capacity during the short-term storage of meat. Further research should be performed to evaluate quality changes that occur during long-term storage of meat in SC s and evaluate a wide range of meat, such as beef and chicken.

Effect of Diet and Location Within the Longissimus Dorsi Muscle on the Quality and Fat Composition of Pork Loins Collected from Market Hog

Abstract In pigs, the longissimus muscle (LM) is an economically important tissue that largely dictates the quality grade assigned to the carcass. Still, this anatomically protracted muscle is not homogeneous in composition and these spatial differences across the LM can impact the overall predicted quality and quantity of pork produced. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of diet and location within the muscle on the quality and fatty acid composition of loins harvested from finishing pigs. A total of 80 pigs were subjected to 1 of 4 dietary treatments: lysine deficient diet (LysDef), vitamin A deficient diet (VitADef), lysine and vitamin A deficient diet (LysVitADef), and control diet (CON) formulated to meet NRC recommended requirements from weaning through finishing. The animals were then harvested to assess LM quality parameters including loin eye area, marbling score, and lean color. Samples from the proximal, medial, and distal portions of the LM were collected for fatty acid determination using gas chromatography and were expressed as a percentage of total fatty acids. Marbling score was greatest (P = 0.0024) in the proximal LM and was not impacted by treatment (P = 0.07). Treatment also had no effect (P = 0.14) on the percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFA); however, the percentage of SFA decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.001) from the proximal (40.9 ± 0.24) to distal (39.14 ± 0.24) portion. In contrast, the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids increased (P &amp;lt; 0.001) from the proximal (15.96 ± 0.57) to distal (19.27 ± 0.57) portion. Despite the lack of diet-induced differences in marbling scores, the biological data generated from the current study are informative in terms of the spatial and compositional marbling deposition patterns in the LM of the growing pigs and warrant further investigation to identify the mechanisms responsible for this paradigm.

Do animal slaughter age and pre-cure freezing have a significant impact on the quality of Iberian dry-cured pork loin?

The influence of various animal slaughter age and of pre-cure freezing times on the quality traits of dry-cured loins from Iberian × Duroc (IBxD) crossbreed animals was assessed. Three animal batches (n = 15) were selected (IBxD8, IBxD10 and IBxD12) to be slaughtered at the age of 8, 10 and 12 months, respectively. Following slaughter, longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscles were extracted and submitted to curing (T0) or freezing storage during three (T3) or six (T6) months prior to curing. The dry-cured loins from IBxD12 yielded lower intramuscular fat and lightness, a less saturated fatty acid profile and the highest hardness and shear force (P ≤ 0.05). The pre-cure freezing process increased weight loss, saturated fatty acids, lipid oxidation, and most of the textural parameters (P ≤ 0.05). So, both slaughter age and pre-cure freezing should be taken into account in order to obtain quality and productive performance.

221 Effect of varying growth rates on early and aged pork loin and chop quality

Abstract The pork industry has observed an upward trend in ending live weights, resulting in heavier hot carcass weights (HCW). Heavier HCW positively affects loin tenderness; however, the mechanism of this effect is unclear. One possibility is increased growth rate, associated with greater HCW, resulting in more tender loins. The objective was to determine the effect of growth rate on early and aged pork quality. Pigs (N=634) were divided into three groups based on average daily gain (kg/d) from 12-26wk of age; slow (&amp;lt; 0.96kg/d, n=96), intermediate (0.96-1.16kg/d, n=452), and fast (≥ 1.17kg/d, n=86). The MIXED procedure of SAS was used to evaluate the main effects of growth rate, breed, sex, and their interactions on loin quality. Birth and weaning weight did not differ between growth rate (P≥0.15) but, overall ADG was increased (P&amp;lt;0.001) in fast growing pigs by 0.15 kg/d. Fast and intermediate growing pigs had darker loins (P=0.03) by 0.23 units. Intermediate growing pigs had firmer loins (P=0.04) by 0.07 units. Ventral a* increased as growth rate increased (P=0.04) indicating fast growing pigs had the reddest loins (9.77 vs. 9.26 vs. 8.99). Aged ventral marbling, ultimate pH, purge loss, cook loss, instrumental tenderness, and chop moisture and extractable lipid did not differ (P≥0.32) between growth rate groups. Duroc-sired pigs had increased tenth rib back fat amongst all growth rate groups, but the magnitude of difference was much greater in the slow and intermediate groups. Between all growth rate groups, slow growing Pietrain-sired Pigs had the smallest loineye areas (LEA). Carcass yield, bone-in carcass cutting yield, and boneless carcass cutting yield did not differ (P≥0.37) between growth rate groups. While fast growth rates improved aged ventral visual color, instrumental tenderness did not differ between growth rate groups.