Proteomic Profiles of the Longissimus Muscles of Entire Male and Castrated Pigs as Related to Meat Quality.

There are indications of reduced meat quality in entire male pigs (EMs) in comparison to surgically castrated pigs (SCs); however, the differences are not strongly confirmed, and the etiology is not clarified. In the present study, samples of the longissimus dorsi, pars lumborum muscle (LL) from EMs (n = 12) and SCs (n = 12) of the same age and weight were evaluated at the physico-chemical and proteomic level. EMs exhibited lower intramuscular fat content, higher collagen content with higher solubility, a higher level of protein carbonyl groups (indicating higher protein oxidation), lower water holding capacity, and tougher meat than SCs. Proteomic analysis revealed differences in heat shock proteins expression, while a greater abundance of several other identified proteins (malate dehydrogenase, Na/K-transporting adenosintriphosphatase (ATP-ase) subunit alpha-1, and blood plasma proteins) indicates that EMs have a more oxidative metabolic profile than that of SCs. More abundant protein fragments (mainly actin and myosin heavy chain) suggest a higher degree of proteolysis in EMs, which was not followed by lower meat toughness.

Comparison of entire male and immunocastrated pigs for dry-cured ham production under two salting regimes.

Due to the initiative to stop piglet castration, meat from entire male pigs is expected to take important share on the European market which can affect dry-cured ham industry. In the present study, hams of entire males (EM) and immunocastrates (IC) were submitted to dry-curing process. Sex category and salting regime were evaluated using standard (18 days; HS) and shortened salting (6 days; LS). At the end of processing, compared to HS, LS hams had lower (40%) salt content, were more proteolysed, were less salty, and had softer texture and different volatile profile. Sex effect was less evident; still, hams from EM exhibited higher processing losses and salt intake, and were drier, less marbled, harder, and more intensively coloured than IC hams. The panellists perceived higher off-flavours in hams with high boar taint compounds (correlation 0.67 and 0.53 for skatole and androstenone, respectively). The effect of sex category on volatile profile was negligible.