Effects of sire type and sex on pork muscle exopeptidase activity, naturaldipeptides and free amino acids

Five sire types, namely Danish Duroc (DU), Dutch Large White (LWD), English Large White (LWE), Belgian Landrace x Landrace (BL x LR) and Belgian Landr ace (BL),were mated with LR x LW crossbred sows. Dipeptidylpeptidase and am inopeptidase activities and free amino acid and natural dipeptide contents were compared between the offspring of each sire type. Regarding the sire t ype effect, significant differences were detected in dipeptidylpeptidase I and IV and alanyl and pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase activities, with activity being lowest in the offspring of BL sires. Significant differences were al so observed between sire types in the content of aspartic acid, glutamic ac id, serine, glycine, glutamine, histidine and arginine. Taking into account the role of exopeptidases and free amino acids in taste development, the m eat from BL-sired pigs may be considered as inferior in generating flavour precursors and thus not appropriate to undergo a dry-curing process. (C) 19 99 Society of Chemical Industry.