THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF SKINNING AND HOT BONING ON MEAT QUALITY

The impact of skinning and/or hot boning on muscle quality characteristics, microbiological condition and storage life of Dutch pork was investigated. The experiment was performed in a pilot plant. Of 16 halothane-negative Large white/Dutch landrace cross-bred pigs, 8 pigs were skinned and 8 pigs were conventionally scalded and dehaired. After splitting the carcass, at ca. 20 min post mortem, sides were either hot boned immediately, or cold boned at 22 h post mortem. After boning the meat was vacuum packaged, chilled and stored at 0 +/- 1-degrees-C for 13 days, whereafter meat quality characteristics were assessed. Under the experimental conditions of this study, the method of dehairing did not affect the post mortem pH/temperature profile. In general, muscle quality characteristics were not influenced by method of dehairing. Hot boning resulted in a slight improvement in the waterholding capacity of the loin and ham. This effect was independent of the method of dehairing. The microbial load of shoulders and bellies did not conclusively indicate an advantage of skinning over scalding. Effects of time of boning on surface contamination were inconsistent. Hot boned shoulders had a higher initial contamination than cold boned counterparts. After storage, microbial loads of the hot and cold boned shoulders and bellies were similar.