Effect of ante-mortem treatment of pigs on the quality of Wiltshire bacon.

Abstract

Meat from pigs slaughtered in a fatigued condition, as in present packing house procedures, had a lower glycogen reserve than meat from animals that had been fed and rested. Post-mortem breakdown of glycogen to lactic acid lowered the pH of meat from fed animals to approximately 5.3 while that from fatigued animals remained at about 6.0 or even as high as 6.6. Meat of low pH contained less sodium nitrite immediately after cure, and retained the desirable red color of cut lean surfaces much longer than did meal of high pH. Meal of low pH was also less susceptible to spoilage by bacteria. Color differences were less apparent after the meat had been smoked, and the preslaughter treatment of the pigs is therefore of less importance in the production of smoked products. The quality of unsmoked Wiltshire skies, on the other hand, would be greatly improved by proper preslaughter handling of the pigs.