<p>The United States is ranked third for global pork production as well as first in pork exports according to the USDA Economic Research Service in 2019. The majority of the commercial pork production in the United States applies some form of confinement system with environmentally adapted facilities. However, with information and easy media access to the US consumers, news and reports on different farming practices and potential issues in the animal industry have come under the spotlight. Consumers are becoming more interested in knowing what goes on behind the scenes of the commercial animal industry and where and how their food is produced. Whether it is due to personal beliefs, ethical concerns, novelty-seeking, eating experience, or choice of lifestyle, consumers are demanding diversity in their meat purchasing options. Although the commercial pork industry has shifted to fewer and larger farms in the last 40 years, small specialty farms such as heritage breed pork are on the rise to form a niche market. Large Black pig is a pasture-raised heritage breed originating in England, and it remains one of the rarest British pig breeds. Due to differences in husbandry, pasture-raised Large Black pigs consume a relatively high forage diet compared to corn-based diet used in commercial swine production. Although heritage pork has been lauded to have unique and superior quality, enhanced eating experience, and is often sold at a premium price, there are very little data on pork quality of Large Black pig compared to Duroc-sired breeds which are commonly used in commercial pork production. The purpose of this study is to fill the dearth and investigate differences in pork processing characteristics between commercial Duroc-sired and Large Black genetic lines fed high forage or commercial diets.</p><p> The study contained a total of 50 pigs: 25 Duroc-sired (DS) and 25 Large Black sired (LB) pigs. After all the pigs were weighed, the pigs were randomly assigned with heavy and light weights as blocks to two dietary treatments: Fiber (FIB) and Control (CON); and the feeding trial lasted a total of 126 days. There were 14 Large Black pigs fed fiber diet (LB FIB); 11 Large Black pigs fed control diet (LB CON); 14 Duroc-sired pigs fed fiber diet (DS FIB) and 11 Duroc-sired pigs fed control diet (DS CON). Pigs were fed either a control Corn-Soybean Meal-DDGS based diet or a high fiber diet with wheat middlings and dehydrated alfalfa meal replacing corn and soybean meal in the control diet. Diets were fed over six 21 days phases with fibrous ingredient levels increasing from 8.5 to 30 percent of the diet with sequential dietary phase from 1 to 6. Pigs were harvested at a common age with some variations in body weight between genetics (DS 125 ± 2.23 kg, LB 99 ± 2.28 kg; <i>P</i> < 0.001). Individual batches of 80% lean : 20% fat sausage patties with seasoning (136g per patty) were made from the shoulder of each pork carcass. PVC packaging was applied to each batch of sausage patties. Fat smear was noted on day 0 with a fat smear scale of 1 (excessive far smearing) to 8 (clear fat particle definition). Color parameters that include lightness (L*), redness (a*), yellowness (b*), and lipid oxidation (2-Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS) due to retail display effect were measured at days 0, 3, and 7 by placing packaged sausage patties under the retail display lighting. Boneless bellies were removed and weighed (fresh weight) from each pig and measurements for belly thickness, length, and firmness were recorded. Fresh bellies were injected to 110% fresh weight, thermally processed (62°C), and cooled (1°C internal temperature). Cooked weight was obtained before slicing. Belly processing yield was calculated as a percentage using (cooked weight / fresh weight) x 100. Adobe Photoshop was used to perform visual image analysis for bacon slice length (SL; cm), slice area (SA; cm²), and slice lean area (LA; %), one 0.64 cm bacon slice was obtained from 25, 50, and 75% distance respectively from the blade end of each cooked bellies for the analysis. RStudio (1.2.1335) was used to analyze data with breed and diet as fixed effects and least square means separated at (<i>P</i> < 0.05).</p><p> Results showed that only diet was significant for patty fat smear (<i>P </i>= 0.0104), CON patties had better particle definition than FIB patties. Difference for patty color L* (<i>P </i>= 0.0051), a* (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) and b* (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) were found for days of retail display. Breed was significant in L* (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) and a* (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) with DS patties being lighter and less red than LB patties. Days under retail display (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) and breed x diet interaction (<i>P </i>= 0.0014) were found in lipid oxidation. DS CON had the least amount of lipid oxidation throughout retail display time. Breed and diet were significant for both belly thickness and length. LB (<i>P </i>= 0.0263) and CON (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) bellies were thicker than DS and FIB bellies respectively. DS (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) and CON (<i>P </i>= 0.0045) bellies were longer than LB and FIB bellies respectively. A breed x diet interaction (<i>P </i>= 0.0527) was observed in belly firmness and LB CON had the firmest bellies. Processing yield was found to be greater in DS bellies (<i>P </i>= 0.0014) than LB bellies. Breed effect had a tendency (<i>P </i>= 0.065) on SL, DS slices were longer. CON had greater SA (<i>P </i>< 0.0048) than FIB slices. DS slices had significantly higher LA (<i>P </i>< 0.0001) than LB slices.</p> The study provided novel insights into the differences in processing characteristics between the DS and LB genetic lines as well as the effect of diet on each breed. Results such as thicker and firmer belly, lower LA in LB were expected since LB is a minor swine breed that has not undergone intense genetic selection for percent lean meat. Overall, each breed had a better product when fed their accustomed diet (FIB for LB, CON for DS) such as less lipid oxidation in sausage patties for DS CON compared to LB CON. Although LB fits into the niche market of heritage breed pork, future studies in management systems, processing methods, and genetic improvement should be considered to improve product quality to better meet modern consumer demands.

Tyrophagus putrescentiae, known as the ham mite, is the most difficult pest to control in the dry-cured ham industry. Food-grade propylene glycol coated nets have been studied as an alternative to conventional mite infestation treatments but were heavy and costly to ship. This study aimed to increase the ease of use of the coated nets via drying. Three drying treatments: oven dried for 7 min (OD7m), oven dried for 20 min (OD20m), and counter dried for 24 h (CD24h), were tested to determine the efficacy at controlling mites as well as the mechanical properties of the nets and sensory characteristics of ham wrapped in the treated nets. The OD7m and CD24h treatments were effective at controlling mite growth in a laboratory setting. The drying treatments did not affect the mechanical properties, or the sensory characteristics of the hams wrapped with the dried net treatments.

Mislabeling of ground meat products is a form of food fraud that can lead to economic deception and interfere with dietary restrictions related to allergens or religious beliefs. In various parts of the world, including Ireland, Mexico and Turkey, high levels of meat mislabeling have been reported between 2000-2015. However, there is currently a lack of information regarding this practice in the United States. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test a variety of ground meat products sold on the U.S. commercial market for the presence of potential mislabeling. Forty-eight ground meat samples were purchased from online and local retail sources, including both supermarkets and specialty meat retailers. DNA was extracted from each sample in duplicate and tested using DNA barcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The resulting sequences were identified at the species level using the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD). Any samples that failed DNA barcoding went through repeat extraction and sequencing. Due to the possibility of a species mixture, these samples were also tested with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, pork and horse. Of the 48 products analyzed in this study, 10 were found to be mislabeled, with nine containing multiple meat species. Meat samples purchased from online specialty meat distributors had a higher rate of being mislabeled (35%) compared to samples purchased from a local butcher (18%) and samples purchased at local vii supermarkets (5.8%). Horsemeat, which is illegal to sell on the U.S. commercial market, was detected in two of the samples acquired from online specialty meat distributors. Overall, the mislabeling detected in this study appears to be due to reasons such as intentional mixing of lower-cost meat species into higher cost products or unintentional mixing of meat species due to cross-contamination during processing.

No description available.

The umami sensation contributes to beef flavor and acceptability. Inosine 5’- monophosphate (IMP) was the most abundant nucleotide in meat known to impart umami taste which thus far had been overlooked in meat flavor studies. The objectives of this study were to determine the umami taste threshold of inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP), the effects of spiking IMP on the sensory descriptive attributes of various USDA graded beef strip steaks, and to differentiate beef by IMP content using electrochemistry. USDA Prime, Choice, and Select steaks were spiked with 0.3 and 0.6 mM IMP and analyzed chemically and organoleptically. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and descriptive sensory analysis showed no changes in IMP content and the perceived sensory attributes of steaks. The electrochemical approach successfully differentiated IMP concentrations in aqueous solutions when present at 0.5 mM or above and was able to recognize the presence of nucleotides in the meat extract.

Commercial carrot processors produce up to 175,000 tons of carrot waste annually. Carrot Mash (CM) is the term referring to the waste by-product of peeled baby carrot processing. Transportation of carrot processing waste is expensive due to its high- water content (approx. 83-95%). High in bioactive compounds (carotenoids) and dietary fibers, it is expected that its conversion into a value-added by-product is of interest to the carrot processing industry. Hemicellulose-rich plant materials have proven to be a source of oligosaccharides, which are known for their beneficial prebiotic activity. The objectives of this research were to: 1) determine the effect of mechanical treatments on the extraction of water and bioactive compounds and evaluate the functional properties of carrot mash; 2) incorporate dried carrot mash into a beef patty and evaluate changes in pH, color, cooking yield, and texture; 3) apply an enzymatic treatment to carrot mash to promote the conversion of polysaccharides to oligosaccharides for prebiotic benefits. Mechanical separation of liquid and solid fractions by way of expeller pressing was efficient in extracting liquid while simultaneously increasing total solids by nearly 200%, the extraction of carotenoids by 1000%, and polyphenol content by nearly 97%. Mechanical treatments increased the fat binding capacity on average by 183% compared to untreated mash. The addition of unpressed carrot mash or expeller pressed carrot mash increased the cooking yield of a beef patty by 3-13% without significantly changing its textural properties. Enzymatically treating the carrot mash significantly increased the concentration of oligosaccharides up to 2.3%. These results suggest that carrot processing wastes can be physically and enzymatically modified and have an immense potential to be utilized as a functional ingredient in human food rather than being landfilled, composted or used as animal feed.

The poultry industry is seeking an advanced chilling system that can improve chilling efficiency, microbial safety, and water consumption without compromising meat quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sub-zero saline chilling methods on chilling efficiency, breast fillet tenderness and microbial reduction of broiler carcasses. Following evisceration and rinsing, broiler carcasses were randomly assigned to one of three chilling solutions: 1) 0% salt or ice water control (0% NaCl/0.5oC), 2) 3% salt (3% NaCl/-1.8oC), and 3) 4% salt (4% NaCl/-2.41oC) solutions. Broiler carcasses in sub-zero saline solutions reached the target internal temperature of < 4.4 oC in a faster rate than the 0% salt control, reducing the chilling time by 11% and 39 % for 3% NaCl/-1.8oC and 4% NaCl/-2.41oC solutions, respectively. There was no significant difference in breast fillet pH, regardless of chilling treatment (P < 0.05). However, the breast fillets from sub-zero saline solutions showed higher R-value and longer sarcomere length than those of control fillets (P < 0.05). Breast fillets excised from carcasses in 4% NaCl/2.41oC were significantly tenderized more than the control fillets, with an intermediate tenderness observed for the fillets from 3% NaCl/-1.8oC (P< 0.05). Before chilling, broiler carcasses contained mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB), Escherichia coli(E. coli), and total coliforms for 3.81, 0.78, and 1.86 log colony forming unit (CFU)/g, respectively. After chilling, the populations of E. coliand total coliforms were significantly reduced on the carcasses in 3% NaCl/-1.8oC and 4% NaCl/-2.41oCcompared to the control fillets (P< 0.05). There was no significant difference for MAB populations, regardless of treatment. Based on these results, chilling of broiler carcasses in 4% NaCl/-2.4 °C solution seems to be the best choice to improve chilling efficiency, meat tenderness, and microbial reduction compared to the control (0% NaCl/0.5ºC) and 3% NaCl/-1.8oCsolutions.

This study examined the effects of wet aging on water-soluble flavor compounds, descriptive flavor, consumer acceptability, and willingness-to-pay of beef strip steaks. Twenty USDA Select boneless beef loins (NAMP #180) were dorsally divided into four equal portions, which were randomized to receive either 0, 7, 14, or 21 d of wet aging. Short-chained peptide concentration increased from 4.11 mg/g on d 0 to 5.12 mg/g on d 7 (P = 0.011) and subsequently increased to 7.14 mg/g on d 21 (P < 0.001). Cooked beef contained 1.85 mg/g less short-chained peptides than raw beef (P < 0.001). Wet aging for 21 d increased the concentrations of amino acids, which are precursors for the Maillard reaction, including methionine, threonine, cystine, serine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine (P < 0.001). Wet aging decreased the nucleotide concentrations (P ≤ 0.003) and increased hypoxanthine concentration, a compound that imparts bitter flavor (P < 0.001). Flavor intensity of steaks was greater on d 14 than on d 21 (P = 0.009). Steaks that were not aged (d 0) had a more intense umami taste than those aged for 7 and 21 d (P ≤ 0.042); whereas d 7 steaks had less off-flavor, described as metallic, oxidized, and cardboard, than steaks from other aging treatments (P ≤ 0.038). Demand analysis indicated that 14-d steaks would be sold at 5.2, 5.2, and 6.7 units (0.454kg/unit) less (P < 0.001) than steaks aged for 0, 7, and 21 d if holding price constant at $14/0.454kg. Wet aging alters the content of water-soluble flavor compounds in beef, which contributes to flavor development during cooking. Wet aging for 21 d decreased umami taste and flavor intensity. However, amino acid concentrations increased during aging, which contributes to meaty and browning flavors that may be more prevalent in other direct heating methods such as grilling. In addition, results indicated that wet aging for 14 d was not sufficient to provide the flavor and tenderness improvements that were apparent after 21 d of aging since aging beef for 14 d decreased consumer acceptance and demand.

No description available.

Manual inspection is a prevailing practice for quality assessment of poultry meat, but it is labor-intensive, tedious, and subjective. This thesis aims to assess the efficacy of an emerging structured illumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) technique with machine learning approaches for assessing WS and microbial spoilage in broiler breast meat. Broiler breast meat samples were imaged by an in house-assembled SIRI platform under sinusoidal illumination. In first experiment, handcrafted texture features were extracted from direct component (DC, corresponding to conventional uniform illumination) and amplitude component (AC, unique to the use of sinusoidal illumination) images retrieved from raw SIRI pattern images build linear discriminant analysis (LDA) models for classifying normal and defective samples. A further validation experiment was performed using deep learning as a feature extractor followed by LDA. The third experiment was on microbial spoilage assessment of broiler meat, deep learning models were used to extract features from DC and AC images builds on classifiers. Overall, this research has demonstrated consistent improvements of AC over DC images in assessing WS and spoilage of broiler meat and that SIRI is a promising tool for poultry meat quality detection.