The objective of this research was to understand carcass and meat quality characteristics of pigs fed a combination of poultry fat, flaxseed oil and Vitamin E. Yorkshire pigs (n = 96) weighing 50kg were allocated to pens based on weight and sex (2 gilts or 2 barrows per pen). Forty-eight pens were randomly assigned to 8 dietary treatments in a 4x2 factorial arrangement. Corn-soybean meal finisher diets (n = 2; 1-50 to 80kg, 2-80 to 110kg) contained 0, 2, 4 or 6% lipids and 11 or 220 IU Vitamin E/kg (VE). 1% flaxseed oil was included in all diets with lipids and remaining lipids supplied by poultry fat. Pigs were harvested at an average pen weight of 110 ± 3kg. Carcass characteristics including: last rib fat thickness (LRFT), tenth rib fat thickness (TRFT), loineye area (LEA), muscle score (MS), percent fat-free-lean (FFL), color (L*, a*, b*), pH ham (pHH) and loin (pHL), National Pork Producers Council color (NPPCCol) and marbling score (NPPCMar) were determined on the loineye at the 10th/11th rib after chilling 24h at 4 ± 2°C prior to carcass fabrication. Pork chops (2.54-cm) were fabricated, individually vacuum packaged, and frozen at -20 ± 2°C for further analysis. Belly firmness, skin-side up (SSU) and skin-side down (SSD) was determined following carcass fabrication. Chops were thawed at 4 ± 2°C for analysis of drip loss (DL), vacuum purge loss (VP), marinade uptake (MU), marinade cook loss (MCL), cook loss (CL) and WBS. Statistical analysis was conducted with Proc GLM in SAS (2002) using pen as experimental unit. Lipid and VE had no effect (P > 0.05) on; LRFT, LEA, MS, FFL, L*, a*, b*, pHL, pHH, NPPCCol, SSD, SSU, VP, MU, MCL, CL or WBS. VE concentration affected (P < 0.05) TRFT and NPPCMar. There was a Lipid*VE interaction for TRFT (P = 0.0483) and FFL (P = 0.0309); Trial*VE interaction for pHH (P = 0.0350) and DL (P = 0.0460). Feeding low levels of VE in combination with low levels of fat increases FFL by decreasing TRFT. Trial 1 had higher (P < 0.001) values of pHH (5.84 vs. 5.53), pHL (5.65 vs. 5.45), and NPPCMar (P < 0.05) (1.90 vs. 1.48). Trial 2 had higher (P < 0.05) values for NPPCCol (3.21 vs 2.81) and DL (4.10 vs. 3.36). There was an abnormal temperature fluctuation during the month pigs from trial 1 were harvested. A feeding program utilizing poultry fat in combination with flaxseed oil, and VE at these levels will not negatively affect meat quality but further analysis is needed before producer recommendation can be made.

ObjectivesThere is increasingly a demand for affordable, all-natural products in the food service industry. The objective of this study is to evaluate a blend of clean label functional ingredients for use in an affordable smoked sausage for food service. Materials and MethodsResearchers at Auburn University used texture profile analysis (TPA) and consumer sensory panels to evaluate sausages made with 3 blends of oat fiber (OF) and modified corn starch (MCS) over 4 wk of storage. All sausages were made with mechanically separated chicken (MSC; 0.0625% NaNO₂, 1.75% salt) in a hog intestine casing. Treatments included a positive control (0.43% sodium phosphate), negative control (no sodium phosphate, OF, or MCS), 90:10 blend (3.15% OF, 0.35% MCS), 50:50 blend (1.75% OF, 1.75% MCS), and 10:90 blend (0.35% OF, 3.15% MCS). All treatments included 18% water, 1.7% seasoning, 1.3% vinegar, and 0.5% salt. Two trials were conducted to evaluate the treatments. Sausages were formulated and then cooked in a smokehouse in 2 batches, dividing by trial, in which every treatment was equally represented and uniformly positioned. Five sausages were selected randomly from each treatment for each trail for sensory and 1 sausage was randomly selected for TPA. Following cooking and chilling, sausages were vacuum sealed and stored at 1°C ± 2°C in a cardboard box. Three sensory sausages were reheated in an oven to 79.4°C, cut into 2.54 cm segments, and cut in half lengthwise for sensory analysis while the remaining 2 were evaluated for objective color and pH using a Hunter Colorimeter and a pH Stab probe. Treatments were given a unique, random 3-digit code. Thirty consumer sensory panelist evaluated juiciness, cohesiveness, flavor, texture, and overall acceptability on a 9-point rating scale. TPA sausages (not reheated) were cut into three 2.54 cm segments and evaluated using a TA-XT2i Texture Analyzer and 25 mm cylinder press. Parameters evaluated include hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, and resilience. Data were analyzed using the least squared means function of Proc GLM procedure of SAS 9.4 (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). Sensory, texture, pH, and color evaluations were performed every 7 d contingent on microbial and sensory analysis of spoilage. ResultsSensory panelist found no difference (P > 0.05) in texture among treatments within the same week or among weeks with the exception of 90:10 (P ≤ 0.05) by week. The treatments with OF:MCS blends were less juicy (P ≤ 0.05) than controls and were more cohesive (P ≤ 0.05) within weeks. Adding OF at 3.15 and 1.75% had a negative effect on flavor acceptability and overall acceptability. TPA analysis indicates numerous significant (P ≤ 0.05) week by treatment interactions for OF:MCS blends for all parameters measured. All treatments experienced an increase in pH between wk 0 and 1 and a decrease between wk 2 and 3. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed for a* over weeks. L* and b* showed differences (P ≤ 0.05) over weeks. ConclusionSensory properties of the 90:10 and 50:50 blend were lower than other treatments, but the 50:50 blend performed that best for TPA analysis. Further research evaluating the sensory, texture, pH, and color parameters is needed across an additional 9 wk of product storage to make recommendations on the best blend of OF:MCS for an optimal product.

Texture profile analysis (TPA), Allo-Kramer shear force (AK) and sensory panel were performed to evaluate the use of sodium carbonate as a processing aid in marination of chicken breast strips, pectoralis major, and tenders, pectoralis minor. Breast strips and tenders were marinated to 10% pick-up with two different solutions; NaCO3 (6.1% water, 1% salt, 0.4% sodium phosphate, 2.0% seasoning and 0.5% sodium carbonate) and CONT (6.6% water, 1% salt, 0.4% sodium phosphate, and 2.0% seasoning) for a 2x2 factorial design. In the NaCO3 treatment, NaCO3 was first added to the water to adjust the pH to 10.5 before addition of the additional ingredients. Three 2.27 kg bags from each marination treatment and each product type were randomly selected from one day's production in duplicate for a total of 24 bags of product. TPA, AK, and a triangle test were performed on both baked (177°C for 20 min) and fried (177°C for 5.5 min) unbreaded, unseasoned meat using three randomly selected pieces for each test from each bag for a total of 9 pieces tested for each marination treatment and each product type in duplicate. For baked strips, there was no difference (P > 0.05) in peak force, area under the curve, hardness, springiness, gumminess or chewiness for CONT or NaCO3. Baked strips with NaCO3 had greater cohesiveness (P = 0.0005) and resilience (P = 0.0029) than CONT, only in rep 1. For baked tenders, there was no difference (P > 0.05) in hardness, springiness, gumminess, cohesiveness, resilience or chewiness for CONT or NaCO3. Baked tenders from rep 2 had greater peak force (P = 0.0061) and area under the curve (P = 0.0019) than rep 1. Fried strips in rep 1 had less springiness (P = 0.0054) when marinade included NaCO3, there were no other differences in attributes tested. Fried tenders had a lower peak force (P = 0.0027) area under the curve (P = 0.0062) for tenders marinated in NaCO3 for rep 1. Fried tenders with CONT had lower cohesiveness values (P = 0.0041) for rep 1, but all other values were similar. Thirty consumers participated in a triangle test for fried cooking method for each marination and product. Of 30 panelists, 2 were able to correctly identify the sample that was different in the triangle test, one for strips and one for tenders. Marination using NaCO3 does not negatively affect the combined overall product quality for TPA, Allo-Kramer or sensory panel for chicken tenders or strips.