Meat Quality Attributes and Sensory Characteristics for Pork Tenderloins (M. Psoas Major)

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The objective of this study was to determine the association between meat quality traits and sensory attributes of pork tenderloins. Meat quality traits (ultimate pH, instrumental color, cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force [WBSF], and desmin degradation) and trained sensory attributes (tenderness, juiciness, and flavor) were evaluated for pork tenderloins from 103 pigs slaughtered on the same day in a commercial processing facility. Data were initially analyzed using the CORR procedure of SAS and correlations were considered significantly different from 0 at P < 0.05. The analysis revealed moderate correlation between several meat quality traits and sensory tenderness, including ultimate pH (r = 0.36), cooking loss (r = −0.42), and WBSF (r = −0.47). Only weak correlation (r < 0.35) was present between meat quality traits and sensory juiciness and sensory flavor. Data were then categorized into groups based on ultimate pH (low pH, pH < 5.60, n = 16; average pH, 5.60 ≤ pH ≤ 5.80, n = 70; high pH, pH > 5.80, n = 17;) and WBSF values (tender, WBSF < 2.5 kg, n = 25; intermediate, 2.5 kg ≤ WBSF ≤ 3.0 kg, n = 48; tough, WBSF > 3.0 kg, n = 30). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with ultimate pH or WBSF category serving as the fixed effect and with linear regression modeling with the REG procedure of SAS, using sensory attributes as the dependent variables. These analyses revealed weak prediction but multicollinearity among ultimate pH and WBSF. Overall, while ultimate pH and WBSF influenced sensory attributes of pork tenderloins, future exploration for new measures of pork quality connecting biological mechanisms and eating experience would be beneficial for the pork industry.