Physiological and structural events postmortem of importance for drip loss in pork

Early post mortem metabolism and structural changes from 3 to 24 h, together with pH, temperature and impedance Py development were investigated in 37 Duroc x Landrace x Large White (DLY) pigs covering a range of drip loss from 2.2 to 12.6%. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to assess the impacts of different metabolites, pH and temperature, impedance, cytoskeletal protein degradation and extracellular cross-sectional area on drip loss. Taken as single factors, the concentration of lactate could explain 80% of the variation in drip, inosine monophosphate (IMP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration explained 71 and 68%, respectively, whereas inosin and glycogen levels explained only 59 and 60%. The extracellular area was found to explain 39% of the variation in drip. The area between fibres provided more significant information than did the area between fibre bundles. The degradation of the cytoskeletal proteins was not related to drip loss. Impedance Py development over 24 h could explain 66% of the variation in drip, whereas pH and temperature explained 85 and 87%, respectively. A model including all measured variables could explain 83% of the variation in drip. However, only pH, temperature, impedance, [ATP](1 h) and [lactate](1 h and 2 h) were significant in relation to drip. By reducing the variables in the multivariate analysis, 89% of the variation in drip could be explained by a model containing only pH(2 h) and temperature(1 min). To explain variation in drip loss, pH and temperature measurements at significant time points were sufficient. Variation in post-mortem metabolites did, however, explain why variation in pH and temperature occurred. Development of drip channels was ruled by pH and temperature while impedance development was highly correlated to pH. This multi-faceted study shows those parameters, which can best be used to indicate or predict WHC, as well as those indicating the basic mechanism underlying variations in drip. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.