B. D. Paxton, C. L. Knipe1, D. L. Meeker, and N. R. St-Pierre
The Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences
In order to evaluate processing quality effects of the Napole gene (RN-, rn+) and the feasibility of improving the functionality of pork from hogs possessing the unfavorable dominant allele (RN-), paired hams from 40 hogs (selected from a Hampshire progeny test conducted at the Western Illinois Test Station) were obtained. One ham of each pair was stored non-frozen and the other frozen. Each ham was divided in half after storage, and two processing scenarios were applied to each of the ham halves, one of which was intended to improve the functional quality of pork over a conventional processing method. The addition of 0.125% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to a conventional injection solution increased cooked pH, cooking yields, and darkened product color over the control. No differences in purge quantities were found between the two treatments. These results showed that some of the detrimental effects of the Napole gene can be mitigated by altering processing techniques, but the scenarios tested here also benefited the normal (rn+) hams, maintaining an advantage to not having the gene. A sensory panel was also performed on these hams, and NaOH treatment was found to increase both tenderness and juiciness. A second, smaller study was also performed and supported the results of the first study.
1 For more information, contact at: The Ohio State University, 122B Animal Science Building, 2029 Fyffe Road, Columbus, OH 43210, 614-292-4877, Fax 614-292-3513, e-mail: knipe.1@osu.edu