A NOTE ON THE USE OF SUBJECTIVE METHODS FOR ASSESSING PIG MEAT QUALITY ON THE SLAUGHTERLINE

The relationships between assessment of exudation from the intrascope hole, seen as a discolouration on the surface of the skin at 20 h post mortem, subjective assessment of meat quality in the longissimus dorsi (LD), gluteus medius (GM) and rectus femoris (RF) muscles and objective measures of raw meat quality in the LD were determined on 100 pig carcasses representing a wide range of quality. The relationships between subjective exudation assessment and objective measures of quality were good with the best correlations being found with those measures indicating pale, soft, exudative (PSE), those with objective indicators of dark, firm, dry (DFD) being poorer. The relationships between subjective assessment of quality in the LD, GM and RF and all objective measures of meat quality in the LD were high. The appearance of any of the muscles could be used to predict overall meat quality in the carcasses after cutting. The subjective assessment of exudation was therefore a good, non-invasive predictor of severe PSE, but not DFD meat, which could be applied on the line after overnight chilling. After butchery, subjective assessment of LD, GM or RF muscles could be used to identify both PSE and DFD carcasses.