ACID-BASE STATUS OF STRESS SUSCEPTIBLE PIGS AFFECTS CURED HAM QUALITY

Twenty-four halothane positive (18) pigs received ammonium chloride (8 g/L), sodium bicarbonate (12.6 g/L) or water (HP control) ad libitum for 4 days and were then slaughtered. Hams from HP animals were pale, soft and exudative (PSE) and of inferior processing quality. Ammonium chloride induced a metabolic acidosis which further impaired cured ham quality (greater thaw purge, lower juiciness scores and less uniform slice appearance than comparable hams from control or bicarbonate trea ted HP hogs). Blood pH, carbonate and chloride concentration (day 3) w ere related to cured ham quality, indicating that acid-base balance ma y influence subsequent meat quality. Use of an alkaline salt provided little protection against PSE.