SUPERCRITICAL CARBON-DIOXIDE EXTRACTION OF ANDROSTENONE AND SKATOLE FROM PORK FAT

Boar taint, an unpleasant odor observed in pork from some mature intac t male pigs, is attributed primarily to the presence of two compounds in boar fat, androstenone (5 alpha-androst-16-ene-3-one) and skatole ( 3-methyl indole). A rapid extraction method for the preparation of fat samples for androstenone/skatole screening assays would lead to more efficient use of boar carcasses for pork production. Supercritical car bon dioxide removed 97 +/- 2% of the androstenone (extraction at 40 de grees C; 5 min) and 65 +/- 3% of the skatole (extraction at 40 degrees C; 20 min) from 0.5 g of boar backfat. Supercritical CO2 provides the basis for a fairly rapid extraction method to remove compounds associ ated with boar taint.