Carcass chilling and pork quality : effects on drip loss, texture measurements and « PSE-like zones » hams frequency

Two chilling rates from distinctive slaughterhouses were tested on pork carcasses selected with early ultimate pH determination (TritonX100 treated muscle samples). Meat quality parameters (early pH and ultimate pH) and carcass characteristics (sire genetic, carcass weight) were similar for the two chilling treatments, that made the comparative study possible. When chilling rate is faster, drip Loss is 21% lower and shear force after 2 days of maturation is 21% higher. The 4°c difference in the inner part of Semimembranosus muscle tested at 2 hours post mortem, induced in the present study a tenderization reduction in the first days post mortem without producing cold-shortening conditions. Another significant effect of chilling rate was its interaction with destructured hams defect occurrence: slow chilling increased by more than 3 times the frequency of the defect on hams with similar meat quality parameters. The Chilling rate after slaughter could be a process factor that could be useful for controlling the “PSE-like zones” defect frequency in pork industry.