The Influence of Feeding and Aging on Pork Quality

The objective of the present thesis was to obtain a more basic understanding on how production factors such as feeding strategies and aging of the meat influence consumer-related pork quality attributes. Especially, post mortem colour characteristics of fresh pork and flavour development including warmed-over flavour in cooked pork as a function of feeding strategies have been further elucidated in the present thesis. It was found that diet-induced progress in early post mortem muscle temperature development affects the colour and colour stability of pork during aging. Moreover, post-mortem colour development progressed differently in M. longissimus dorsi (LD) and in M. semimembranosus (SM). A gradual increase in the extent of blooming took place throughout aging in vacuum in the SM muscle; in contrast to a more complex colour progress during aging in the LD muscle. Moreover, discoloration was found to proceed faster in chops of SM compared to LD, especially after extended aging in vacuum. The observed diet and muscle effects might be coupled to the diet-induced change in post mortem temperature progress in the meat, which affects the activity of the inherent enzyme systems. Thus, dietary treatment and aging of the meat have a pronounced effect on colou