Effects of PSE on the quality of cooked hams

Meat quality comparisons were carried out on hams produced from pork legs showing evidence of PSE and normal pork legs. Quality measurements included drip loss, sliceability, cooking loss, TBARS analysis and colour evaluation (Hunter L, a, b). A total of 40 pork legs were selected from a commercial slaughtering plant, 20 from carcasses showing PSE and 20 from normal carcasses based on L, a, b, and pH values. Carcass pH taken between the third/fourth rib was measured 45 min, 90 min, and 24 h after slaughter. Using a Minolta colorimeter (Hunter L, a, b,), colour of the Longissimus dorsi muscle was measured 24 h after slaughter. PSE had an adverse effect on cooked hams in comparison to normal cooked hams with respect to driploss (P<0.01), cooking loss (P<0.01), sliceability (P<0.01), colour (P<0.05) and lipid oxidation (P<0.05). Cooked hams manufactured from severe PSE pork in this study had an estimated financial loss of 50% (IRL£4.90) in comparison to those manufactured from normal pork (IRL£9.80).