National Retail Pork Benchmarking Study: Characterizing Pork Quality Attributes of Multiple Cuts in the Self-serve Meat Case

Abstract

The objective of this study was to benchmark fresh pork quality in the retail meat case in the United States. Nationally, 117 retail supermarkets in 67 cities were selected for sampling. Center-cut loin chops were observed in-store to obtain subjective color and marbling scores. Ten loin chop, sirloin chop, and blade steak packages representing each brand and enhancement type were purchased for objective analysis of pH, Minolta color (L*, a*, and b*), and tenderness (WBSF). For L*, enhanced loins were darker (P < 0.05) than non-enhanced. Enhanced loins and sirloins had greater (P < 0.05) pH values than non-enhanced chops. Enhanced loins, sirloins, and blades had lower (P < 0.05) WBSF scores than non-enhanced chops and steaks. This research provides retailers, processors, and other pork industry stakeholders with benchmark values of pork quality, and provides the pork industry with information to help reduce variation and improve pork quality at the retail level.