Porcine longissimus glycolytic potential level effects on growth performance, carcass, and meat quality characteristics

Animals (n = 72) with longissimus glycolytic potential (GP) values ranging from 113.8 to 301.1 mu mol/g of tissue, were classified as having low (n = 24), moderate (n = 24), and high (n = 24) GP levels. Meat quality measureme nts such as longissimus ultimate pH and subjective color score decreased, w hile Hunter L* values, percentage drip loss and purge loss increased for an imals classified as having either high or moderate GP levels compared to th ose with low GP values. Animals with higher GP had decreased longissimus pr otein content and improved taste panel tenderness scores and lower shear fo rce indicating superior eating quality. Increasing aging time fi om 2 to 21 days decreased shear force and improved taste panel tenderness scores. The se data indicate that both glycolytic potential level within the muscle and aging time can have significant effects on pork quality characteristics.