THE EFFECTS OF FAT THICKNESS AND DEGREE OF MARBLING ON PORK COLOR ANDSTRUCTURE

Fat thickness (3rd-4th last rib) was weakly correlated with subjective pork structure score (R2 = 1.0%) and marbling score (R2 = 1.6%) in 39 9 boneless pork backs sampled from commercial processing plants. Pork colour and structure scores (R2 = 5.9 and 11.1%) were more highly corr elated with marbling score than carcass fat and muscle depths (R2 = < 2.0%). Pork backs that had structure scores of 1 and 2 (extreme to sli ght soft and exudative pork) tended to have low amounts of marbling (t races or less). A second trial with 311 pork backs also indicated that higher marbling scores were associated with lower frequencies of pale , soft and exudative pork.