PREDICTING THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF PORK BELLY AND THE EFFECT OF COOKING AND STORAGE CONDITIONS ON BACON SENSORY AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The first objective of this research was to use a widely varying pig population to create prediction algorithms for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) pork carcass compositional estimate and pork belly softness measurement. Further, bellies with compositional extremes were used in bacon production and cooked in two ways to determine the impact of composition, storage days and cooking method on lipid and protein oxidation as well as heterocyclic aromatic amines. A total of 648 pigs, either barrows or gilts, from three sire breeds (Lacombe, Duroc or Iberian boar × Large White * Landrace F1 dams), were provided one of three diets (conventional, canola-based or flaxseed-based feed) ad libitum until they reached either ~120 or 140 kg slaughter weight. These variations were intentionally introduced so that the animal population could adequately represent the variation applicable to commercial production. Following slaughter, carcass sides and primal cuts were scanned under DXA equipment. For the second experiment, 198 left side bellies were assigned to belly-flop angle and subjective score measurements to evaluate pork belly softness. The third experiment employed 44 right side bellies which were randomly selected from the treatment extremes (barrows or gilts, Iberian or Lacombe, and control or flaxseed based diet). These 44 bellies were processed into bacon slices which were cooked with either microwave heating or pan frying after 2 or 28 days of refrigerated storage. Regardless of variation in animal population, DXA accurately predicted dissected/chemical fat and lean content of carcass sides and primal cuts (R2 > 0.94, P 0.05). The cooking treatments and storage days also had minimal effects on bacon sensory attributes. Overall, the present study established mathematical models to improve DXA estimate of pork carcasses and enhance pork belly softness assessments. The results could also inform public health recommendations regarding choice of cooking method for bacon