The use of the electrical characteristics of muscle for the objective detection of PSE and DFD in pork carcasses under commercial conditions

Abstract Two instruments, the MS-Tester and Tecpro QM, which measured various electrical characteristics of muscle (dielectric loss factor and conductivity, respectively), were used to assess the quality of pork under commercial conditions. These characteristics were measured on the m. longissimus and m. gluteus medius 60 min and 24 h post-mortem. The relationship between these electrical characteristics and the quality of boneless loins was used to assess their value. The quality of the boneless loins was subjectively assessed 24 h post-mortem using a five-point descriptive scale for paleness and structure developed by Agriculture Canada. The relationships between the electrical characteristics measured on the m. longissimus or the m. gluteus medius with the MS-Tester and Tecpro QM and the subjectively determined quality of boneless loins were relatively weak both at 60 min and 24 h post-mortem. For the m. longissimus , the coefficients of correlation were: 60 min post-mortem, MS-Tester, −0.12 and −0.08 for paleness and structure, respectively, Tecpro QM, −0.17 and −0.15; and 24 h postmortem, MS-Tester, −0.32 and −0.32, Tecpro QM, −0.24 and −0.29. Our results suggest that the dielectric loss factor or the electrical conductivity of muscle, as measured by the MS-Tester and Tecpro QM, did not reliably distinguish among the various Canadian quality standards used to identify PSE/DFD in pork.