PREDICTION OF PSE-MEAT BY BIOCHEMICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS OF SKELETAL-MUSCLE IN LIVING PIGS

Parameters of muscle structure and function were determined on biopsy samples of the M. longissimus in 44 fattening pigs at the 105th and 18 0th day of age. Combinations of morphological (percentage of fibre typ es, diameter of the fibres) and biochemical (biopsy-pH and R-value) cr iteria were tested for their suitability for the prediction of PSE-mea t by discriminant analysis. The discrimination function consisting of the mean diameter of the red fibres and the biopsy-R-value at the seco nd biopsy led to a rate of misclassifications of 22.7%. The clusion of all measured parameters reduced this rate to 15,9%. The combination o f biochemical and morphological criteria derived in vitro seems to be suited for the prediction of PSE-meat in living pigs.