Eric Decker University of Massachusetts

Publish Date: June 3, 2006

Consumer confidence is critical for maintaining high demand and profitability in the pork industry. Consequently, the industry is responsible directly to produce pork products that are wholesome, nutritious, and appealing to consumers. Many factors including genetics, health, biosecurity, management, and nutrition and feeding influence pork products and ultimately, consumer demand and appeal for pork.

Publish Date: June 3, 2006

Warmed-over flavor (WOF) has long been recognized as one of the primary causes of quality deterioration in cooked, refrigerated and pre-cooked, frozen meat products (Tims & Watts, 1958). The term meat flavor deterioration has been proposed to include both the development undesirable flavors (WOF) with concurrent loss of of desirable meat flavor characteristics (Spanier et al., 1988; St. Angelo et al., 1990). WOF is usually associated with reheated meats which have been refrigerated for 48 hours or less; WOF can develop in pre-cooked frozen meats in a few days or weeks. WOF includes odors and flavors commonly described as stale, cardboard-like, painty or rancid (Vega and Brewer, 1994; Love, 1988).