Effect of rapid chilling of pigs' carcasses and earlier post-mortem deboning on water holding capacity of m. [Musculus] semimembranosus | Uticaj brzog hlađenja polutki svinja i ranijeg otkoštavanja post mortem na sposobnost vezivanja vode m. [Musculus] semimembranosus

We investigated the effect of rapid air chilling of carcasses, at -31 deg C after 3 hours of chilling, and under conventional conditions (up to 8 and 24 hours post mortem) as well as the effect of earlier deboning of carcasses (8 hours post mortem), after rapid chilling, on water holding capacity of pork, i.e. m. semimembranosus. During and at the end of chilling, in rapidly chilled carcasses, compared to conventional chilled carcasses, a highly significant lower temperature in inner part of thigh (p is less than 0.01) was found. In rapidly by chilled carcasses, 7 deg C was reached in inner part of thigh a bit before 8 hours post mortem. Eight hours post mortem, but not 24 hours post mortem, in rapid chilled m. semimembranosus, compared with conventional chilled m. semimembranosus, significantly higher pH value (p is less than 0.05) was found. Rapid chilling of carcasses i.e. rapid chilling of carcasses and earlier deboning, resulted in lower chilling loss by 30 i.e. 60% compared with conventional chilled carcasses i.e. compared with rapid chilled and 24 hours post mortem deboned carcasses. Chilling loss in rapidly by chilled and 8 hour post mortem deboned carcasses was also lower by 30%. Numerically better water holding capacity (smaller amount of exudative juice i.e. higher percentage of water holding capacity, lower drip loss) was found in rapid chilled and earlier post mortem deboned m. semimembranosus, compared with conventionally chilled m. semimembranosus. After 24 hours of conditioning, in rapid chilled and 8 hours post mortem deboned m. semimembranosi, better water holding capacity was found i.e. significantly lower drip loss (p is less than 0.05), compared with conventionally chilled m. semimembranosi. Independently on deboning time post mortem, significantly lower cooking loss (p is less than 0.01) was found in rapid chilled m. semimembranosi, compared with conventionally chilled m. semimembranosi.