Identification and characterization of pigs prone to producing ‘RSE’ (reddish-pink, soft and exudative) meat in normal pigs

• Published in: Meat science Vol. 48; no. 3; pp. 249 - 255
• Main Authors: Cheah, K.S., Cheah, A.M., Just, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Meat and meat product industries; Color; Prediction; Meat product; Identification; Striated muscle; Texture; Pig; Reddish-pink soft exudative meat; Vertebrata; Longissimus cervicis and longissimus thoracis muscles; Mammalia; Meat animals; Biopsy; Classification; Quality control; Race; Exudation; Artiodactyla; Ungulata; Pork
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/S0309-1740(97)00099-5

RSE (reddish-pink, soft and exudative) meat was investigated using pigs of three different halothane genotypes. A significantly lower pH 1h, value was observed in RSE compared with that of RFN (red, firm and non-exudative) -meat, both of which have values higher than 6.0 at 1 hr post-mortem. Drip loss (%) in RSE-meat was ≥7%, which was twice that of RFN-meat. Normal values for fibre optic probe and Minolta L and a were observed for RSE-meat. RSE-meat could be derived from NN and Nn pigs, and its formation could be induced from RFN-prone pigs by poor post-slaughter management. Pigs expected to produce RSE-meat were identified using small biopsy samples of M. longissimus dorsi (LD). Predicted RSE-meat in live pigs was confirmed by post-mortem assessments of meat quality using LD muscle. With NN Landrace-Yorkshire × Duroc pigs, 15.6% were identified to be RSE-prone in live pigs, and a further 6.7% RSE was induced after slaughter from RFN pigs. The rate of glycolysis determined from biopsy LD samples and at 1 hr post-mortem (pH 1h) were significantly ( p < 0.001) faster in RSE than in RFN-prone pigs, but significantly slower than those of PSE-prone pigs. Good correlations ( p < 0.001) were observed between biopsy fluid (F) values, an indicator of water-holding capacity (WHC), and drip loss ( r = 0.652) from post-mortem LD muscle, and between biopsy pH (F), an indicator for the rate of glycolysis, and F ( r = −0.828). These results show that the skeletal muscle test using biopsy LD muscle could be employed to reduce the incidence of RSE-meat.