Drip Loss Assessment by Different Analytical Methods and Their Relationships with Pork Quality Classification

Received Jul 21, 2016; Revised Dec 23, 2016; Accepted Feb 5, 2017

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1. Introduction

The loss of fluids from pork is important for the industry because of its economic implication. Water accounts for approximately 75% of the weight of meat, and the ability of muscle to retain moisture is key to many meat-quality parameters held in high regard by the industry and consumers [1]. High drip losses lead to losses in terms of appearance, texture, nutritional value, and attractiveness, thereby compromising the quality of fresh meat and its processing [2]. Larger drip losses are usually linked to a greater level of protein denaturation, because the water-holding capacity (WHC) of meat is affected by the state of the muscle proteins. A rapid pH decline postmortem may lead to protein denaturation, with serious consequences for the color, tenderness, and WHC, generating pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) meat [3]. Although the initial pH (measured at 45 min postmortem) may be used as an indicator of PSE condition, its application is limited, because it does not allow for the prediction of all quality categories [4]. Thus, meat drip loss and lightness form the base of the definition of the pork quality categories, including RSE (reddish-pink, soft, and exudative), PFN (pale, firm, and nonexudative), RFN (reddish-pink, firm, and nonexudative), and DFD (dark, firm, and dry) meat [5].

Because drip loss has stood out as one of the most important parameters of meat-quality evaluation, several methods have been developed to determine it [6, 7]. The percentage drip loss measured by the bag method (DL), proposed by Honikel [8], is recognized internationally as the standard methodology, but it requires a larger space and careful handling of samples. The filter-paper wetness (FPW) method, described by Kauffman et al. [9], is recognized as the simplest and fastest technique to evaluate the meat WHC, and it is reported as being highly correlated with the DL measurements. Later, Rassmussen and Andersson [10] suggested a method involving drip loss containers, referred to as the EZ-DripLoss (EZ) method. This method uses less space and is more easily reproduced and...

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