THE PROBLEM OF TAINT IN PORK .3. ODOR PROFILE OF PORK FAT AND THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ANDROSTENONE, SKATOLE AND INDOLE CONCENTRATIONS

Samples from 100 Large White x Meishan crossbred pigs (50 males, 50 fe males) with androstenone, skatole and indole concentrations ranging be tween 0-2.68, 0.004-1.43 and 0.007-1.57 mu g g(-1), respectively, were assessed by a trained 10-member sensory panel. The intensities of por k odour, abnormal odour, androstenone, skatole and odour pleasantness were assessed using line scaling. The descriptors mothball and musty a ssociated with skatole and sweaty, dirty, silage and parsnips associat ed with androstenone all significantly (p < 0.05) characterised taint in pork. Regression analyses showed that pork odour depended on the li near terms of androstenone and indole, whilst abnormal odour depended on the linear terms of androstenone, skatole, indole and the quadratic terms of skatole and indole (r(2) = 0.76). Responses to different com binations of androstenone and skatole were sometimes similar. This imp lies that instrumentation for on-line sorting (classification) of pigs should be based on a response criterion instead of on concentrations. The equations derived in this study could be tested to form the basis for a reliable calibration system. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.