Sensory quality and cooking loss of ham muscle (M. biceps femoris) from pigs reared indoors and outdoors.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensory characteristics and cooking loss of ham from pigs of different genotype and sex and on different rearing systems. Half of each litter was reared indoors in a large pen (120 mm(2)), and the other half outdoors. Ham muscles (M. biceps femoris) from 48 Hampshire crosses (carriers or non-carriers of the RN(-) allele) were subjected to sensory evaluation by means of descriptive analysis by a selected and trained nine-member panel. Ham from RN(-) carriers scored higher than that from non-carriers with regard to smell intensity and meat taste, also it was more tender and tended to have a more acidulous taste. Ham from pigs reared indoors had a juicier and more acidulous taste than that from pigs reared outdoors. Ham from castrates was more tender and more juicy than ham from gilts.