PALATABILITY AND VISUAL ACCEPTANCE OF DARK, NORMAL AND PALE COLORED PORCINE M. LONGISSIMUS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Pork loins from carcasses weighing 68–75 kg were compared for quality characteristics. A total of 120 loins, with equal numbers of pale and watery, normal and dark colored loins, were evaluated. Pale chops had a significantly higher cooking loss than normal or dark colored chops. The consumer panel scored the pale chops significantly lower in organoleptic acceptability than normal or dark chops. The trained panel gave a similar rating for the organoleptic evaluation. When the consumer panel selected pork chops from a retail display case, the normal colored chops received the highest rating and the pale, watery chops the lowest. The pale chops were the most unstable and developed a greenish‐gray cast after 2–3 days' storage. The normal colored chops had significantly more intramuscular fat and less protein than either pale or dark chops.