Bacon Production: Evaluating Potential Processing and Management Practices to Improve Product Quality of Industrial Sliced Bacon

90 p.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009.The objective of this research was to determine areas of improvement to bacon production. The first trial was conducted to determine differences in belly and bacon quality traits in pigs fed ractopamine (RAC) for various durations during finishing. A 2x3x2 factorial arrangement was used with barrows and gilts, fed RAC levels of 0.0, 5.0, or 7.4 ppm, for 21 or 28 d prior to harvest. Bellies were measured for length, thickness, firmness, processing yields, proximate analysis, and digitally imaged for exposed lean. RAC improved the exposed lean and did not alter the moisture or fat composition, sex had a large impact on all quality traits as gilts were found to be leaner, and duration of RAC had no effect on quality measurements. Though inferences were made in the study about industrial slicing very little data is available evaluating industrial bacon slicing. The next experiment was to determine possible predictors of bacon slicing yield through evaluation of carcass and belly measurements and composition. Data was regressed against the percent #1 slicing yield to determine predictors. The historical predictors of last rib fat and thickness were found to be significant, but the amount of monounsaturated fatty acids was of the most significance. Although some predictors were identified, a large amount of variation was still unaccounted for, therefore an audit of an industrial slicing facility was conducted to determine processing defects that could affect the slicing yield. Shattering, cracking, hooks, and wrinkles were found to be of the greatest importance to bacon slicing. A final trial consisting of four experiments was conducted to evaluate different methods of bacon processing. Brine chilling cooked bellies, extended dwell time, reduced pressure injection, and tumble curing were identified as possibilities to reduce slicing defects. Brine chilling and extended dwell showed the greatest impact on slicing yields, with both reduced pressure and tumbled bellies having lower slicing yields. Though suggestions have been identified to improve bacon slicing, the process is extremely variable and therefore extremely difficult to make strong inferences and further work would be needed to address additional advancements in bacon quality.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD