A REPEAT NATIONAL SURVEY OF MUSCLE PH VALUES IN COMMERCIAL PIG CARCASSES

Measurements of pH values at 45 min post-slaughter (pH(1)) in m. longi ssimus were taken in a total of 5598 commercial bacon weight carcasses . pH values at 24 h post-slaughter (pH(2)) were taken on a further 559 8 carcasses. The overall mean pH(1) was 6.39 with 15.1% of values less than 6.0. The overall mean pH(2) was 5.64, none of the values recorde d were greater than 6.5. This survey shows a small increase over the 1 983 study in the incidence of potentially Pale Soft and Exudative (PSE ) carcasses. It found no evidence of a Dark, Firm and Dry (DFD) proble m related to high ultimate pH. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.