Evaluation of mortadella formulated with carbon monoxide-treated porcine blood.

The proximate composition and color of mortadellas containing carbon monoxide-treated (COTB), untreated (UNTB), or CO-treated dried blood (CODB) were compared to that of control mortadella. Blood addition did not affect (P>0.05) the proximate composition and TBARS. The mortadella containing 10% UNTB were brown and those containing COTB or CODB were red. Residual nitrite level, L*, a*, b* and c* values of the mortadella decreased (P<0.05) with an increase in the amount of blood; TBARs did not vary (P>0.05). Increasing the amount of blood increased (P<0.05) the hue angle (h*) and browning index (BI) of the mortadella containing UNTB. Increasing blood addition decreased (P<0.05) h* and did not affect (P>0.05) BI. Increasing storage length decreased (P<0.05) residual nitrite, affected BI and color coordinates and did not affect TBARS (P>0.05). Addition of CO-treated blood allows the production of better-colored sausages having lower residual nitrite levels.

Influence of dental carcass maturity on carcass traits and meat quality of Nellore bulls.

Carcasses of sixty-three Nellore bulls slaughtered at a commercial beef plant were randomly selected by dental classification (2, 4, 6 or 8 permanent incisors) in order to evaluate the influence of dental maturity on carcass traits and meat quality. Carcasses with 8 permanent incisors (p.i.) had greatest values (P<0.05) of carcass weight and longissimus area. Carcasses with 4 and 6 p.i. presented similar values of rib fat thickness being greater (P<0.05) than the other groups. Carcasses with 6 and 8 p.i. presented greater (P<0.05) values of shear force than the other groups. Conversely, carcasses with 2 and 4 p.i. displayed greater (P<0.05) myofibrillar fragmentation index and collagen solubility. Greatest values of thawing loss were observed in carcasses with 2 p.i. (P<0.05) while carcasses with 8 p.i. presented greatest values (P<0.05) of drip loss. Regarding longissimus color, carcasses with 8 p.i presented greatest value (P<0.05) of b*. Data suggests that dental maturity influences carcass traits and meat quality of Nellore bulls.

Carcass and ham quality characteristics of heavy pigs from different genetic groups intended for the production of dry-cured hams.

Carcass and ham quality characteristics of pig populations divided by harvest weights--HW (130 and 160 kg) were evaluated to determine the effects of gender (barrows and gilts) and distinct genetic groups--purebred (DUDU) and crossbred Duroc (DULA, DUWI and DULL) as well as purebred Large White (WIWI) on the suitability for use in dry-cured ham production. At 130kg, DUDU pigs yielded the highest fat thickness of the ham (P<0.01) and an intramuscular fat content (IMF) of 3.15% in Semimembranosus muscle (SM). DUDU pigs also had a SM pH(u) of 5.7. This genetic group met the specifications for dry-cured ham production. No differences could be found in meat quality characteristics between genetic groups harvested at 160 kg. However at this HW, gilts produced significantly (P<0.05) heavier and leaner hams compared to barrows.

Composition and color stability of carbon monoxide treated dried porcine blood.

Color stability of swine blood was studied over 12 weeks of storage in plastic bags, after pH (7.40, 6.70, or 6.00) adjustment, saturation with carbon monoxide (CO) and spray-drying. CO-treated dried blood presented a redder color and higher reflectance between 610 and 700 nm, compared to a brownish-red color and lower reflectance of untreated samples. As indicated by reflectance spectra, blood pH adjustment did not influence (P>0.05) the initial color of dried blood but influenced (P<0.05) its color stability (browning index). During storage, CO-treated blood showed a reduction in reflectance percentages as well as in CIE L(*) and a(*) values, which was more pronounced in polyethylene (OTR=4130 cm(3)/m(2)/day/atm) packaged samples. After 12 weeks of storage, CO-treated samples packaged in high OTR bags presented color indexes similar to those of the untreated dried samples. CO-treated samples packaged in nylon-polyethylene (OTR=30-60 cm(3)/m(2)/day/atm) bags showed a smaller rate of discoloration and color difference (DeltaE(*)) between the CO-treated and untreated samples. Even with some darkening, packaging CO-treated dry blood in low OTR bags still gives an acceptable reddish color after 12 weeks of storage while untreated dry blood has a brownish color just after drying.

Quantitative trait loci mapping for meat quality traits in swine chromosome 6

Realizou-se o mapeamento de QTL no cromossomo 6 suíno (SSC6), associado às características de qualidade da carne. Um total de 557 animais de uma populacão F2 foi obtido do cruzamento entre dois machos da raca nativa brasileira Piau e 18 fêmeas comerciais, cujos genótipos foram obtidos para 13 marcadores microssatélites. As características avaliadas na F2 foram pH, medido 45 minutos e 24 horas post-mortem (pH45 e pH24, respectivamente); perda por gotejamento (DL); perda por cozimento (CL); perda total (TL); gordura intramuscular (IMF); maciez objetiva (OT); luminosidade (L); índice de vermelho (A); índice de amarelo (B); tonalidade de cor (h); e índice de saturacão (c). Utilizou-se o método de regressão por intervalo de mapeamento, por meio do programa QTL Express. Foram detectados QTLs significativos para pH45 e DL, sugestivos para DL, e não foram encontrados QTLs para as demais características. Constatou-se que grupos gênicos, localizados em torno de 76, 88 e 97cM, podem atuar no pH45 e no DL. Nas regiões dos picos da estatística F, onde se verificaram QTLs sugestivos para DL, devem ser incluídos mais marcadores, para confirmar a presenca de QTLs.

Effect of modified atmospheres on microbiological, color and sensory properties of refrigerated pork.

Pork loin samples were stored (4°C) in nylon polyethylene plastic bags using different modified atmospheres packaging (MAP): vacuum, 100% CO(2) 99% CO(2)+1% CO, 100% O(2) or 100% CO followed by vacuum. Throughout the storage period Pseudomonas growth was limited in loins packaged in all MAPs evaluated, except for 100% O(2). Psychrotrophs reached 10(7)CFUg(-1) after 20 days of storage except for the loin samples in 100% O(2) MAP that present count above 10(8)CFUg(-1). The 1%CO/99%CO(2) atmosphere was best for preserving the desirable pork loin color and the L* and a* values remained similar to the fresh meat values using this MAP. Pork loins in 99%CO(2)/1%CO MAP obtained the highest consumer acceptance scores after 24h of storage. These samples and those treated with CO and then vacuum packaged received the greatest acceptance scores even after 20 days of storage.

Color evaluation of carbon monoxide treated porcine blood.

The stability of liquid porcine blood, treated with carbon monoxide (CO) at different pH values (7.40, 6.70, and 6.00) up to its complete saturation, was studied. Lowering the pH from 7.40 to 6.70 resulted in a decrease in the amount of CO necessary to obtain 100% carboxyhemoglobin. Further pH lowering to 6.00 did not result in additional reduction in the amount of gas. During 4 days of refrigerated storage CO treated liquid blood maintained, at every pH, a more stable and attractive red color than fresh blood, which was a result of an increase (P<0.05) of a(*) (redness) and b(*) (yellowness) values and no variation (P>0.05) on L(*) (lightness) value. Hue (h(*)) and chroma (C(*)) decreased in the untreated blood but not in the CO-treated blood. The results indicate that blood saturation with CO yields a product having greater potential for use in meat products without compromising its visual appearance.