PERFECT PORK ODOUR

Detection of off-odours and off-flavours in pork causing "stinking" not related

to boar taint

Picture: Julian Bleicher

Picture: Julian Bleicher

Picture:  Julian Bleicher

An increasing problem in food industry concerns off-odours and off-flavours of pork (called “stinking” phenomenon). This unfavourable condition is likely triggered by insufficient animal hygiene (dirty animals), pre-slaughtering stress, inappropriate nutrition (high level of proteins at late fattening stages), and postmortem carcass management-related factors (inefficient cooling). Either single animals or bigger groups of slaughter animals might show this condition that increasingly leads to product rejection by retail chains as well as to consumer complaints. The literature on this stinking phenomenon is scarce. A magnitude of information has been published on boar taint as a main off-odour related pork quality issue. However, off-odours not related to the sex of the animal have never been well researched and possible compounds that lead to the stinking phenomenon have not been described yet.

There are two objectives: via the analytical method solid phase-microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) this project aims to objectify the stinking phenomenon by method development and to determine factors that contribute to this adverse effect. When the compound(s) causing the "stinking" phenomenon has/have been identified on the basis of data analysis of the chromatograms obtained for stinking vs. non-stinking pork, the next step will be for project partners to work with plausible solutions to the problem (e.g. changes in feeding, better hygiene, stress management etc.), i.e., a mitigation concept. The nature of these potential solutions will depend on the culprit compound(s) having been identified.

Lead Researcher:

Kathrine Bak, PhD

Unit Food Hygiene and Technology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna

kathrine.bak@ffoqsi.at
+43 1 25077-3302
www.vetmeduni.ac.at