EFFECTS OF BLAST-CHILLING CARCASSES OF DIFFERENT WEIGHT AND FATNESS ON THE APPEARANCE OF FRESH PORK

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Abstract
Pork carcasses (n = 773) were selected at random from the moving rail of a federally inspected abattoir approximately 35 min following slaughter. All carcasses were weighed and measured for fat thickness by a ruler on the mid-line of the carcass at the point of maximum fat depth over the loin. One side of each carcass was conventionally chilled for 24 h at 1 °C. The other side was blast-chilled at −25 °C in a blast-chilling tunnel for approximately 1 h followed by 23 h of cooling at 1 °C. Left and right sides were alternated for each chilling treatment. Following the chilling period pork sides were fabricated into the major primal cuts. Boneless pork loins and whole hams were subjectively assessed for muscle color (1 = very pale, 5 = very dark) and structure (1 = extremely soft and exudative, 5 = firm and dry) using established standards. Blast-chilled loins were significantly darker (P < 0.001) and had a firmer structure (P < 0.01) than conventionally chilled loins. Ham color was also darker (P < 0.001) for the blast-chill treatment but chilling treatment had a less clear effect (P = 0.07) on ham structure. Chilling treatment effects were similar (P > 0.22) on carcasses of different weight and depths of subcutaneous fat. It was concluded that blast-chilling carcasses resulted in fresh pork with a darker color and slightly firmer structure than carcasses chilled in a conventional manner. Key words: Carcass, pork, quality, blast-chilling, PSE, DFD