Pork Ham and Belly Processing Traits With Increasing Carcass Weight

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of increasing hot carcass weight (HCW) on pork ham and belly processing characteristics. Pigs (n = 85) were slaughtered and divided into 3 HCW categories: Average (99 to 109 kg), Heavy (116 to 126 kg), and Very Heavy (134 to 144 kg). Fresh hams...

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Main Authors: Bailey Harsh, Dani C Shirey, Erin Bryan, Hannah Marie Remole, Joseph Lee Metz, Kaitlin Richey Guthrie, Kayla E Barkley, Khalil Atef Jallaq, Xuenan Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Iowa State University Digital Press 2024-10-01
Series:Meat and Muscle Biology
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Online Access:https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/mmb/article/id/18181/
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author Bailey Harsh
Dani C Shirey
Erin Bryan
Hannah Marie Remole
Joseph Lee Metz
Kaitlin Richey Guthrie
Kayla E Barkley
Khalil Atef Jallaq
Xuenan Chen
author_facet Bailey Harsh
Dani C Shirey
Erin Bryan
Hannah Marie Remole
Joseph Lee Metz
Kaitlin Richey Guthrie
Kayla E Barkley
Khalil Atef Jallaq
Xuenan Chen
author_sort Bailey Harsh
collection DOAJ
description The objective of this study was to determine the effect of increasing hot carcass weight (HCW) on pork ham and belly processing characteristics. Pigs (n = 85) were slaughtered and divided into 3 HCW categories: Average (99 to 109 kg), Heavy (116 to 126 kg), and Very Heavy (134 to 144 kg). Fresh hams were fabricated and further processed as 3-piece (inside, outside, and knuckle) boneless cured hams. Fresh belly quality measurements were taken before bacon processing. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS including the main effect of weight class, with sex and sire line as random blocking effects. Means were considered significant at P ≤ 0.05. There were no differences (P = 0.08) in ham processing characteristics including pump uptake, retention, and cook yield. However, cured hams from heavier car- casses were less red and less yellow (P < 0.01). Heavier carcasses produced longer, thicker, and wider bellies (P < 0.01), but bellies did not differ in firmness (P = 0.16). Despite reduced pump uptake (P < 0.01), bellies from heavier carcasses had greater cooked yield than those from lighter carcasses (P < 0.01). Total area of sliced bacon increased with increasing carcass weight. Bacon slice lean area percentage decreased (P < 0.01) in bacon from Very Heavy carcasses compared to lighter carcasses. Iodine value was decreased (P = 0.04) approximately 2.5 units from 68.6 in fresh bellies from Average carcasses to 66.2 in bellies from Very Heavy carcasses. Overall, processing characteristics of hams and bellies were not impaired at heavier carcass weights, though the consumer acceptability of larger slices of bacon from heavier carcasses should be determined.
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spelling doaj-art-a743ec8465594c369a1c841aadaec77e2025-08-20T03:10:57ZengIowa State University Digital PressMeat and Muscle Biology2575-985X2024-10-018110.22175/mmb.18181Pork Ham and Belly Processing Traits With Increasing Carcass WeightBailey Harsh0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7146-4182Dani C Shirey1Erin Bryan2Hannah Marie Remole3Joseph Lee Metz4Kaitlin Richey Guthrie5Kayla E Barkley6Khalil Atef Jallaq7Xuenan Chen8University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignAnimal Sciences, University of IllinoisUniversity of IllinoisUniversity of IllinoisUniversity of IllinoisUniversity of IllinoisUniversity of IllinoisUniversity of IllinoisUniversity of IllinoisThe objective of this study was to determine the effect of increasing hot carcass weight (HCW) on pork ham and belly processing characteristics. Pigs (n = 85) were slaughtered and divided into 3 HCW categories: Average (99 to 109 kg), Heavy (116 to 126 kg), and Very Heavy (134 to 144 kg). Fresh hams were fabricated and further processed as 3-piece (inside, outside, and knuckle) boneless cured hams. Fresh belly quality measurements were taken before bacon processing. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS including the main effect of weight class, with sex and sire line as random blocking effects. Means were considered significant at P ≤ 0.05. There were no differences (P = 0.08) in ham processing characteristics including pump uptake, retention, and cook yield. However, cured hams from heavier car- casses were less red and less yellow (P < 0.01). Heavier carcasses produced longer, thicker, and wider bellies (P < 0.01), but bellies did not differ in firmness (P = 0.16). Despite reduced pump uptake (P < 0.01), bellies from heavier carcasses had greater cooked yield than those from lighter carcasses (P < 0.01). Total area of sliced bacon increased with increasing carcass weight. Bacon slice lean area percentage decreased (P < 0.01) in bacon from Very Heavy carcasses compared to lighter carcasses. Iodine value was decreased (P = 0.04) approximately 2.5 units from 68.6 in fresh bellies from Average carcasses to 66.2 in bellies from Very Heavy carcasses. Overall, processing characteristics of hams and bellies were not impaired at heavier carcass weights, though the consumer acceptability of larger slices of bacon from heavier carcasses should be determined.https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/mmb/article/id/18181/heavy pigsprocessinghambaconyieldcarcass weight
spellingShingle Bailey Harsh
Dani C Shirey
Erin Bryan
Hannah Marie Remole
Joseph Lee Metz
Kaitlin Richey Guthrie
Kayla E Barkley
Khalil Atef Jallaq
Xuenan Chen
Pork Ham and Belly Processing Traits With Increasing Carcass Weight
Meat and Muscle Biology
heavy pigs
processing
ham
bacon
yield
carcass weight
title Pork Ham and Belly Processing Traits With Increasing Carcass Weight
title_full Pork Ham and Belly Processing Traits With Increasing Carcass Weight
title_fullStr Pork Ham and Belly Processing Traits With Increasing Carcass Weight
title_full_unstemmed Pork Ham and Belly Processing Traits With Increasing Carcass Weight
title_short Pork Ham and Belly Processing Traits With Increasing Carcass Weight
title_sort pork ham and belly processing traits with increasing carcass weight
topic heavy pigs
processing
ham
bacon
yield
carcass weight
url https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/mmb/article/id/18181/
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