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In the meat industry, the quality grading system is commonly applied to classify carcasses based on quality and value. Presently, to facilitate consumer convenience, pork bellies are prepared into slices and retailed in supermarkets and butchers. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of quality grade (QG) and retail cutting manner on the quality properties of pork bellies. Thirty-two bellies with different QGs: QG1+, 1, 2, and off-grade (n = 8 each) randomly collected from a commercial slaughterhouse were used. Each belly was cut into 3 portions: A (5–10th rib, cranial edge), B (11–15th rib), and C (without rib, caudal edge) according to the commonly used retail cutting manner. Samples were subjected to chemical composition, quality traits, and aroma analysis. Fat content was highest in QG1+ and lowest in off-grade and distributed at a higher level in portions A and B than in portion C in all QGs (p < 0.05). Off-grade was associated with higher shear force and chewiness values and lower levels of palmitic and stearic acids, regardless of the cutting portion. The bellies used in this study exhibited variations in chemical composition and quality properties not only among the QGs but also across the cutting portions within each QG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the relationship of carcass characteristics such as hot carcass weight and back fat thickness (BFT) and the pH of semispinalis capitis (SC) with the cooking loss (CL) of pork shoulder butt and the CL and Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) of belly. BFT was correlated with the CLs of the butt slices (rs = −0.30) and the belly slices (rs = −0.27 to −0.32). The pH of the SC muscle showed a correlation with the CLs of the butt slices (rs = −0.45) and the belly slices of the 6th and 11th thoracic vertebrae (rs = −0.28 to −0.33). Additionally, the correlations (rs = 0.62 to 0.77) were observed in the CLs among the belly slices. However, the WBSF of the belly slices did not show correlations with others. Therefore, the pH of the SC muscle as well as BFT can be used to obtain information on the CL of shoulder butts and bellies in carcasses.

Summary: The effects of stewing at a constant temperature (95 °C) for different times (45 and 90 min) on the physicochemical characteristics of lean meat (LM) and lean meat in pork belly (LMIPB) were investigated. When the stewing time was 90 min, the hardness, springiness, cohesiveness and chewiness of LMIPB were 186.35 g, 0.07 (ratio), 0.18 (ratio) and 241.90 g lower than those of LM, respectively. The chemical changes in myofibrillar protein (MP) mainly including the degree of oxidation degradation, such as carbonyl content, cross‐linked polymer and β‐sheet, were increased with prolonged stewing time. The sulfhydryl content, Zeta potential (absolute value) and α‐helix were decreased markedly. The chemical changes of MP in the LMIPB were greater than those in the LM during the stewing process. These results indicated that fat in stewing process could promote the oxidation degradation of MP in meat, and then affected the texture characteristics of meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the meat industry, the quality grading system is commonly applied to classify carcasses based on quality and value. Presently, to facilitate consumer convenience, pork bellies are prepared into slices and retailed in supermarkets and butchers. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of quality grade (QG) and retail cutting manner on the quality properties of pork bellies. Thirty-two bellies with different QGs: QG1+, 1, 2, and off-grade (n = 8 each) randomly collected from a commercial slaughterhouse were used. Each belly was cut into 3 portions: A (5–10th rib, cranial edge), B (11–15th rib), and C (without rib, caudal edge) according to the commonly used retail cutting manner. Samples were subjected to chemical composition, quality traits, and aroma analysis. Fat content was highest in QG1+ and lowest in off-grade and distributed at a higher level in portions A and B than in portion C in all QGs (p < 0.05). Off-grade was associated with higher shear force and chewiness values and lower levels of palmitic and stearic acids, regardless of the cutting portion. The bellies used in this study exhibited variations in chemical composition and quality properties not only among the QGs but also across the cutting portions within each QG.

Pork is the most consumed meat in South Korea, and pork belly is the preferred cut. However, pork production cannot meet the demand, leading to a heavy reliance on imports, particularly for pork bellies. In contrast, low-fat cuts face oversupply problems owing to low demand and export challenges. Pork belly fat content varies with breed, sex, growth rate, and fatty acid composition. Western countries favor higher fat saturation for processed products, whereas South Koreans prefer grilled or roasted bellies. Excessive consumption of high-fat pork cuts like pork belly, which is rich in saturated fatty acids, can increase the risk of severe diseases, highlighting the importance of reducing saturated fat intake and increasing the consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids to mitigate these risks. The pork industry and public health sector should diversify production, promote leaner pork, and raise awareness about the implications of excessive pork consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Pork belly is a cut of meat with high worldwide demand. However, although the belly is comprised of multiple muscles and fat, unlike the loin muscle, research on their genetic parameters has yet to focus on a representative cut. To use swine breeding, it is necessary to estimate heritability against pork belly traits. Moreover, estimating genetic correlations is needed to identify genetic relationship among the traditional carcass and meat quality traits. This study sought to estimate the heritability of the carcass, belly, and their component traits, as well as the genetic correlations among them, to confirm whether these traits can be improved. Methods A total of 543 Yorkshire pigs (406 castrated males and 137 females) from 49 sires and 244 dam were used in this study. To estimate genetic parameters, a total of 12 traits such as lean meat production ability, meat quality and pork belly traits were chosen. The heritabilities were estimated by using genome-wide efficient mixed model association software. The statistical model was selected so that farm, carcass weight, sex, and slaughter season were fixed effects. In addition, its genetic parameters were calculated via MTG2 software. Results The heritability estimates for the 7th belly slice along the whole plate and its components were low to moderate (0.07±0.07 to 0.33±0.07). Moreover, the genetic correlations among the carcass and belly traits were moderate to high (0.28±0.20 to 0.99±0.31). Particularly, the rectus abdominis muscle exhibited a high absolute genetic correlation with the belly and meat quality (0.73±52 to 0.93±0.43). Conclusion A moderate to high correlation coefficient was obtained based on the genetic parameters. The belly could be genetically improved to contain a larger proportion of muscle regardless of lean meat production ability.

In order to explore the effects of different amounts of mogroside (0%, 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%) on the quality and the storage stability of stewed pork belly. By measuring the sensory, texture, color of the stewed pork belly, as well as the pH value, TBARS value, total number of bacterial colonies and other indicators during storage, the analysis showed: When 0.3% mogroside was added, the stewed pork belly had the best taste, bright color, aroma and sweetness of Siraitia grosvenorii, and obvious effect of inhibiting fat oxidation (P

Pork is known as one of the preferred part of meat worldwide. Especially, the belly, known as ‘Samgyeopsal’in South Korea, has been preferred by consumers in South Korea. Pork belly contained various component muscles, intermuscular and subcutaneous fat. The high-fat belly cut (containing 50%–60% fat ratio) has a low preference in South Korea whereas, the standard belly cut (20%–40% fat ratio) of the consumer preference was different. In addition, the evaluation system focused on lean meat production, represented by loin eye area and back fat thickness. In this review, we discussed the pork belly structure, phenotypic correlation with lean meat production ability and meat quality, and genetic potential to confirm to possibility of application to pig breeding. Moreover, the confirmed possibilities considered that could be a base on the evaluation of standard for the pork belly as an economic trait.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of natural ingredient seasoning on the reduction of heterocyclic amine (HCA) production that may occur when pork belly is cooked at a very high temperature for a long time. Pork belly seasoned with natural ingredients, such as natural spices, blackcurrant, and gochujang, was cooked using the most common cooking methods, such as boiling, pan fry, and barbecue. HCAs in pork belly were extracted through solid-phase extraction and analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography. For short-term toxicity, a mouse model was used to analyze weight, feed intake, organ weight, and length; hematology and serology analysis were also performed. Results revealed that HCAs formed only when heating was performed at a very high temperature for a long time, not under general cooking conditions. Although the toxicity levels were not dangerous, the method showing the relatively highest toxicity among various cooking methods was barbecue, and the natural material with the highest toxicity reduction effect was blackcurrant. Furthermore, seasoning pork belly with natural materials containing a large amount of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, can reduce the production of toxic substances, such as HCAs, even if pork belly is heated to high temperatures.

The increase in market demand and economic value of Canadian pork primal cuts has led to a need to assess advanced technologies capable of measuring quality traits. Fat and lean composition were measured using a Tellspec near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy device to predict the pork belly fat iodine value (IV) and loin lean intramuscular fat (IMF) content in 158 pork belly primals and 419 loin chops. The calibration model revealed a 90.6% and 88.9% accuracy for the Tellspec NIR to predict saturated fatty acids (SFA) and IV, respectively, in the belly fat. The calibration model accuracy for the other belly fatty acids revealed an accuracy of 66.3–86.1%. Using the Tellspec NIR to predict loin lean IMF reported a lower accuracy for moisture (R2 = 60) and fat % (R2 = 40.4). This suggests that Tellspec NIR spectroscopy measures on the pork belly primal offers a cost-efficient, rapid, accurate, and non-invasive indicator of pork belly IV and could be used for the classification for specific markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pork belly is a meat cut valued for its rich flavour and texture, attributed to its high fat content, which also makes it susceptible to oxidation. Therefore, meat producers and processors must carefully select packaging options to maximise shelf life while meeting consumer preferences. This study aimed to develop customised packaging strategies for sliced pork belly with varying fat content to extend shelf life while minimizing environmental impact. The research compared three packaging solutions: modified atmosphere packaging (MAP1: 70:30% O 2 :CO 2 , MAP2: 30:40:30% O 2 :CO 2 :N 2) and vacuum skin packaging (VSP) for pork bellies with low (LF: 16.07 ± 1.87%), medium (MF: 37.39 ± 4.41%), and high fat content (HF: 57.57 ± 2.36%). Samples packaged in VSP exhibited the longest shelf life (13–14 days) with lower purge and reduced fat and colour oxidation compared to MAP-packaged samples for all studied belly types. Nonetheless, the impact of MAP on shelf life depended on the belly type. HF bellies, with lower proportions of unsaturated fatty acids, showed less purge, and greater colour and fat stability, resulting in a longer shelf life compared to LF and MF bellies. LF and MF bellies in MAP2 showed the shortest shelf life (around 6 days), followed by LF and MF in MAP1 (around 7–8 days). Life Cycle Assessment indicated VSP generally as the most environmentally favourable option for LF and MF bellies, whereas for HF bellies, the choice among the three packaging solutions depended on the specific impact category under consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome to phenome analysis is necessary in livestock areas because of its various and complex phenotypes. Pork belly is a favorable part of meat worldwide, including East Asia. A previous study has suggested that the three key transcription factors (ZNF444 , NFYA and PPARG) affecting pork belly traits include total volume, the volume of total fat and muscle, and component muscles of the corresponding slice. However, other transcription factor genes affecting each slice other than pork belly component traits still needed to be identified. Thus, we aimed to analyze pork belly components at the genome to phenome level for identifying key transcription factor genes and their co-associated networks. The range of node numbers against each component trait via the association weight matrix was from 598 to 3020. Premised on the result, an in silico functional approach was performed. Each co-association network enriched three key transcription factors in adipogenesis and skeletal muscle proliferation, mesoderm development, metabolism, and gene transcription. The three key transcription factors and their related genes may be useful in comprehending their effect of pork belly construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective In most retail centers, primal pork cuts for sale are usually prepared into retail-ready slices and overwrapped with air-permeable plastic film. Also, meat of Korean native black pig (KNP) is reputed for its superior quality, however, its shelf life during retail display has not been studied. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate shelf life of prepackaged retail-ready KNP belly and shoulder butt slices during refrigerated display. Methods Bellies and shoulder butt obtained at 24 h post-mortem from finishing KNP were used. Each belly or shoulder butt was manually cut into 1.5 cm-thick slices. The slices in each cut type were randomly taken and placed on white foam tray (2 slices/tray) overwrapped with polyvinyl chloride film. The retail-ready packages were then placed in a retail display cabinet at 4°C. Shelf life and sensory quality of the samples were evaluated on day 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 of display. Results The shoulder butt reached the upper limit (20 mg/100 g) of volatile basic nitrogen for fresh meat after 9 days while, the belly remained within this limit throughout the display time (15 days). Both the cuts reached a thiobarbituric acid reactive substances level of above 0.5 mg malondialdehyde/kg after 9 days. The a* (redness) values remained unchanged during first 9 days in both cuts (p>0.05). After 9 days, off-flavor was not found in either cut, but higher off-flavor intensity was found in shoulder butt after 12 days. The shoulder butt was unacceptable for overall eating quality after 12 days while, belly still was acceptable after 12 days. Conclusion The belly showed a longer shelf life compared to the shoulder butt, and a shelf life of 9 and 12 days is recommended for the prepackaged retail-ready KNP shoulder butt and belly slices, respectively.

Objective Pork belly is considered as the most commercially important and preferable primal cut by consumers worldwide. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the effects of fat levels on the meat quality characteristics of pork bellies. Methods Seventy-eight growing-finishing pigs collected from different commercial pig farms were slaughtered and used in the present study. After slaughter 24 h, bellies were fabricated according to the Korean Pork Cutting Specification, and immediately sampled for analysis of their fat content. Based on the fat levels, the bellies were segregated into three different groups: low fat (LF, fat ≤20%, n = 15), medium fat (MF, fat 21% to 30%, n = 30), and high fat (HF, fat ≥31%, n = 33). The bellies were then analyzed for meat quality traits, fatty acids, flavor compounds and eating quality properties. Results The HF group had lower moisture and cooking loss levels compared to the other groups (p

The increase in market demand and economic value of Canadian pork primal cuts has led to a need to assess advanced technologies capable of measuring quality traits. Fat and lean composition were measured using a Tellspec near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy device to predict the pork belly fat iodine value (IV) and loin lean intramuscular fat (IMF) content in 158 pork belly primals and 419 loin chops. The calibration model revealed a 90.6% and 88.9% accuracy for the Tellspec NIR to predict saturated fatty acids (SFA) and IV, respectively, in the belly fat. The calibration model accuracy for the other belly fatty acids revealed an accuracy of 66.3–86.1%. Using the Tellspec NIR to predict loin lean IMF reported a lower accuracy for moisture (R2 = 60) and fat % (R2 = 40.4). This suggests that Tellspec NIR spectroscopy measures on the pork belly primal offers a cost-efficient, rapid, accurate, and non-invasive indicator of pork belly IV and could be used for the classification for specific markets.

This study investigated the relationship of carcass characteristics such as hot carcass weight and back fat thickness (BFT) and the pH of s emispinalis capitis (SC) with the cooking loss (CL) of pork shoulder butt and the CL and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) of belly. BFT was correlated with the CLs of the butt slices ( r s  = -0.30) and the belly slices ( r s  = -0.27 to -0.32). The pH of the SC muscle showed a correlation with the CLs of the butt slices ( r s  = -0.45) and the belly slices of the 6th and 11th thoracic vertebrae ( r s  = -0.28 to -0.33). Additionally, the correlations ( r s  = 0.62 to 0.77) were observed in the CLs among the belly slices. However, the WBSF of the belly slices did not show correlations with others. Therefore, the pH of the SC muscle as well as BFT can be used to obtain information on the CL of shoulder butts and bellies in carcasses., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

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Supercooling is the method of lowering the temperature of a foodstuff below its freezing point without phase transitions. This storage technique has a potential advantage for extending shelf life. Nevertheless, the supercooled state of food is thermodynamically unstable. To accomplish supercooling storage, slow cooling rate and minimized temperature fluctuation are necessary. Thus, a stepwise cooling algorithm was designed and applied in this study. Pork belly and chicken breast were stored at 3 °C, −18 °C (freezing), and supercooling treatment was applied to them for 12 days. All samples preserved their supercooled state and were unfrozen during the storage period. Overall, supercooled samples were advantageous in respect of drip loss compared to that of frozen samples, regardless of type of sample. Total volatile basic nitrogen, total aerobic account, and cooking loss of pork belly was higher than in the chicken breast due to the high fat retention in pork belly as compared to chicken breast, in particular, at refrigerated storage condition. Samples stored at supercooling treatment prevented increase in volatile basic nitrogen and microbial growth. Therefore, the supercooled state was successful when using stepwise algorithm, and it was effective at maintaining meat quality compared to freezing and refrigeration storage.

Grilling restaurants are a major contributor to airborne particulate matter (PM) in metropolitan areas. In this study, the removal of PM during the grilling of pork belly using an orifice scrubber, which is a form of gas-induced spray scrubber, was assessed. During grilling, the particle mass concentration was the highest for 1.0 < PM ≤ 2.5 μm (55.5% of total PM emissions), followed by 0.5 < PM ≤ 1.0 (27.1%), PM ≤ 0.5 (10.7%), and PM > 2.5 μm (7.0%). The PM removal efficiency of the orifice scrubber at a gas flow of 4.5 m3 min−1 was > 99.7% for PM ≥ 2.5 μm, 89.4% for 1.0 < PM ≤ 2.5 μm, 62.1% for 0.5 < PM ≤ 1.0, and 36.5% for PM ≤ 0.5 μm. Although further research is necessary to optimize its use, the orifice scrubber offers a user-friendly technology for the control of PM in small grilling restaurants because of its simple design, uncomplicated operation, and satisfactory PM removal performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical properties of Job's tears starch (JTS) films incorporated with clove bud essential oil (CBEO) and their antioxidant effects on pork belly during storage were investigated in this study. The changes in thermal properties (thermogravimetric analysis), microstructure (scanning electron microscopy), and antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH assays) of JTS films according to various concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 0.75%) of CBEO were also examined. With increasing concentration of CBEO, tensile strength, moisture content, and water solubility of the films decreased, whereas elongation at break, water vapor permeability, and antioxidant activity increased. The optical and thermal properties of the JTS films were not affected with the addition of CBEO. Pork belly packaged with the JTS film containing 0.5% CBEO exhibited lower degree of lipid oxidation determined by peroxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value measurement than non-packaged sample during storage. Therefore, the developed JTS films containing CBEO can be effectively applied as an anti-oxidative packaging material to maintain the freshness and quality of pork belly during storage. • Job's tears starch (JTS) is a good source to prepare a biodegradable film. • Clove bud essential oil (CBEO) confers good antioxidant activity to JTS films. • JTS film with 0.5% CBEO inhibits lipid oxidation in pork belly during storage. • JTS films containing CBEO can be used as an anti-oxidative food packaging material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Raman spectra can be used to rapidly test the degree of unsaturation during heating. • The early event of radical formation in pork belly during processing were evaluated. • Unsaturated fatty acids and oxidation products positively relate to aldehyde content. • The collection and synergy of taste-active compounds improved the umami and richness. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying the evolution and formation of aroma and taste-active compounds of pork belly in representative traditional pork cuisines during pan-heating. The results revealed that as the temperature increased to 110 ℃, the unsaturation of fatty acids decreased from 60.25 % to 58.71 %, while the content of free radicals and secondary oxidation products increased. At the later heating stages, the addition of spices and increased heating temperature (150 ℃) led to continuous increments in the contents (from 958.20 μg/kg to 1511.88 μg/kg) and diversity of volatile compounds in pork belly, imparting the unique aroma. Additionally, the accumulation of low-molecular-weight peptides, free amino acids, and nucleotides not only provided the substrate for thermal reactions and their synergistic effects, but also contributed to the desired taste quality. These findings offered insights into the flavor formation mechanisms of traditional pork cuisines and provided direction for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin-on, and bone-in bellies (n = 94) were cut into Canadian specifications and assessed on an automated conveyor belt system based on different levels of firmness. Temperature settings at 4 °C, 2 °C, and − 1.5 °C had significant effect (P < 0.05) on the bending angle, after 24 cm of the belly had passed the nosebar. The stepwise regression relationship had R2 ∼ 0.18–0.67 between iodine value and bending angle at all temperatures. Bending bellies multiple times changed firmness classification of bellies at 4 and 2 °C, but bend number did not influence firmness classification at −1.5 °C. The automated conveyer belt system presented the potential to classify pork bellies based on firmness for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to estimate the genetic parameters for pork belly traits and muscles in Yorkshire pigs. Each pork belly was cut into nine parts perpendicular to the thoracic vertebrae (6th to 14th). Traits of belly muscles including the deep pectoral, latissimus dorsi, cutaneous trunci, rectus abdominis, external and internal abdominal oblique from 382 purebred pigs were recorded and analyzed using SAS Package (9.1) and Derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood methods. Heritability estimates for belly traits ranged from 0.27 to 0.49, while they were 0.12 to 0.66 for belly muscles. Moderate to high heritability estimates were noted in belly weight (0.33), belly length (0.28), and belly width (0.49). In belly muscles, the latissimus dorsi and deep pectoral, which are located only in the 6th to 9th vertebrae sections, were found to have heritability estimates ranging from 0.21 to 0.29 and 0.23 to 0.35, respectively. Strong heritability estimates were observed in the 7th to 13th sections of cutaneous trunci muscle ranging from 0.42 to 0.66. Genetic correlations of latissimus dorsi m. with belly length were positive (0.50), while cutaneous trunci m. with belly weight also revealed a positive relationship that ranged from 0.35 to 0.47. The estimated genetic parameters indicate that belly weight can be improved by genetic selection. Differences in the levels of heritability occurred among various parameters of Yorkshire pork belly, which should be considered when performing selection to improve pork belly quality. Moreover, these results can provide valuable information that can be used as the basis for further investigations to improve pork belly.

Bellies derived from the commercial population of pig carcasses are diverse in terms of tissue composition. Knowledge of the factors influencing it and the expected results, permits quick and easy evaluation of raw material. The study was designed to determine the factors affecting the tissues composition of pork bellies and to estimate their lean meat content. The research population (n=140 pig carcasses) was divided into groups according to sex (gilts, barrows), half-carcass mass (

Pork is the most consumed meat in South Korea, and pork belly is the preferred cut. However, pork production cannot meet the demand, leading to a heavy reliance on imports, particularly for pork bellies. In contrast, low-fat cuts face oversupply problems owing to low demand and export challenges. Pork belly fat content varies with breed, sex, growth rate, and fatty acid composition. Western countries favor higher fat saturation for processed products, whereas South Koreans prefer grilled or roasted bellies. Excessive consumption of high-fat pork cuts like pork belly, which is rich in saturated fatty acids, can increase the risk of severe diseases, highlighting the importance of reducing saturated fat intake and increasing the consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids to mitigate these risks. The pork industry and public health sector should diversify production, promote leaner pork, and raise awareness about the implications of excessive pork consumption., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare no competing interests., (© The Korean Society of Food Science and Technology 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

To investigate the effect of long-term storage on in vitro protein digestion of the retort-pouched pork belly. The products were stored at 25 °C for 0, 30, 60 and 120 days and digested with pepsin and trypsin at each time point. SDS- PAGE and LC- MS- MS were applied to separate and identify proteins and their digested products. In vitro protein digestibility decreased from 47.7% after 60-day storage to 25.4% after 120-day storage for the samples digested by pepsin, and from 63.9% to 45.7% for the samples digested by pepsin and trypsin at corresponding time points. LC- MS- MS demonstrated changes in peptide composition and abundance with storage time. Long-term storage could deteriorate nutritive values of meat products by reducing digestible protein content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds formed when cooking meats, such as chicken and pork. In this study, the effect of different cooking methods (air frying, infrared cooker, pan frying, and electric oven) and spices (rosemary, turmeric, and garlic) on the formation of 11 HCAs (IQ, MelQ, MelQx, 4,8-DiMelQx, PhIP, AαC, MeAαC, Trp-P-1, Trp-P-2, Harman, and Norharman) in chicken wing and pork belly were determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography−triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, and the physicochemical characteristics of the cooked meats were compared. The effect of air frying temperatures and times on the 11 HCAs formation was also investigated. Pan-fried chicken wing and pork belly lost less moisture and weight than the other samples. Air frying resulted in the lowest contents of 11 HCAs compared to pan frying, cooking in an electric oven, and infrared cooking, regardless of meat type. For example, 11 HCAs levels in air-fried chicken wings were 4.35 μg/kg, with the inhibition rate of 75.29% comparing with pan-fried chicken wings (17.61 μg/kg). HCAs formation depended on air frying temperatures and times. For example, the HCAs contents in chicken wing air-fried at 200 °C for 20 min (2.98 μg/kg) increased by 2.8 times compared to chicken wing air-fried at 140 °C for 50 min (1.08 μg/kg). Additionally, all spices showed an inhibitory effect on HCA formation. Especially, turmeric exhibited the highest inhibitory effect on the formation of HCAs by 50.67%. These results indicate that air frying and spices could inhibit the formation of HCAs during the thermal preparation of meats. • The use of new cooking appliances (e.g., air fryer) has increased recently. • Cooked chicken wing and pork belly were analyzed for heterocyclic amines (HCAs). • Pan frying and air frying led to the highest and lowest HCA levels, respectively. • HCA formation depended on temperature and time. • Adding spices (rosemary, turmeric, and garlic) lowered the HCA levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work was conducted to compare the differences in odor attributes and the formation causes of pork belly cooked by different heating modes and the feasibility of achieving convenient and delicious cooking of stir-fried pork cuisines by modifying the heat transfer mode of the microwave. The effects of traditional pan-heating (TH), microwave heating (MH), and microwave combined with conduction heating (MH + CH) on sensory aroma attributes, aroma profile, free fatty acids, and volatile compounds of pork belly were investigated. The results showed that the pork belly heated by TH had the lowest total amount of stable volatile compounds (1695.41 μg/kg) and contents of free fatty acids (751.44 mg/100g), but the balanced distribution and the rich contents of volatile compounds derived from thermal processing resulted in the better aroma quality of pork belly. In contrast, although the pork belly cooked by MH had higher free fatty acids contents (1215.32 mg/100g) and the highest volatile compounds (5410.56 μg/kg), due to the cell destruction effect and the molecular movement acceleration of microwave, the contents of volatile compounds derived from spices were too high, leading to the disharmony of aroma characteristics. However, the pork belly cooked with MH + CH not only promoted the production of free fatty acids (1434.23 mg/100g), but also increased the generation and retention of pork characteristic aroma by changing the heating modes. Compared with MH, it enhanced the uniformity of aroma distribution and improved the overall aroma similarity to TH. [Display omitted] • Cooking techniques and heat transfer methods significantly affected the aroma quality. • Pork characteristic aroma accounted for the largest contribution to pan-heated pork. • The microwave-cooked pork had a lack of characteristic aroma and aroma coordination. • Microwave combined with conduction heating improved overall aroma of pork belly. • Microwave combined with conduction heating enhanced aroma similarity of pan-heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pork belly is a cut of meat with high worldwide demand. However, although the belly is comprised of multiple muscles and fat, unlike the loin muscle, research on their genetic parameters has yet to focus on a representative cut. To use swine breeding, it is necessary to estimate heritability against pork belly traits. Moreover, estimating genetic correlations is needed to identify genetic relationship among the traditional carcass and meat quality traits. This study sought to estimate the heritability of the carcass, belly, and their component traits, as well as the genetic correlations among them, to confirm whether these traits can be improved., Methods: A total of 543 Yorkshire pigs (406 castrated males and 137 females) from 49 sires and 244 dam were used in this study. To estimate genetic parameters, a total of 12 traits such as lean meat production ability, meat quality and pork belly traits were chosen. The heritabilities were estimated by using genome-wide efficient mixed model association software. The statistical model was selected so that farm, carcass weight, sex, and slaughter season were fixed effects. In addition, its genetic parameters were calculated via MTG2 software., Results: The heritability estimates for the 7th belly slice along the whole plate and its components were low to moderate (0.07±0.07 to 0.33±0.07). Moreover, the genetic correlations among the carcass and belly traits were moderate to high (0.28±0.20 to 0.99±0.31). Particularly, the rectus abdominis muscle exhibited a high absolute genetic correlation with the belly and meat quality (0.73±52 to 0.93±0.43)., Conclusion: A moderate to high correlation coefficient was obtained based on the genetic parameters. The belly could be genetically improved to contain a larger proportion of muscle regardless of lean meat production ability.

The ingestion of egg has been reported to lower blood cholesterol, but the mechanism is unclear. Here, the biochemical metabolic mechanism by which the oral administration of egg yolk affects blood lipid reduction was investigated using normal rats. Blood triglycerides and total cholesterol were lower and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher in an egg yolk-given group compared to other groups, while low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was increased in the pork belly oil-given group. HMG-CoA reductase activity was higher in the pork belly oil-given group, compared to an egg yolk-given group, a weekly alternating administration of pork belly oil and egg yolk-given group, and the saline-given normal control group. However, faecal excretions of total sterol, neutral sterol and acid sterol in an egg yolk-given group were higher compared to the pork belly oil-given group, a weekly alternating administration of pork belly oil and egg yolk-given group, and a normal control group. The results suggested that ingestion of egg decreased blood lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pork belly, which contains various components of muscle and fat, is one of the most favorable parts of pork. However, pig-breeding has largely focused on improving longissimus thoracis , representing the lean-meat production capacity, and the quality of pork belly has not improved because of the absence of established standards. Previous studies have suggested a standard for the establishment of such standards and relevant genetic parameters, but no key gene has been identified yet. Here, we predicted key genes, including transcription factors, related to pork belly formation. We analyzed 543 Yorkshire pigs and their SNP chip data and identified 3238 genes and 135,025 edges related to pork belly traits by using the association weight matrix. Based on these results, in silico validation was performed. The predicted nine transcription factors, including the key trio, were enriched in adipogenesis-related signaling pathways. The transcription factors and corresponding genetic network identified in this study may be useful in improving pork belly parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The predictability of cooking loss in pork belly using the quality properties of pork loin was investigated. Pork belly at the 6th thoracic vertebra and pork loin at the 14th thoracic vertebra from 120 pork carcasses were used in this study. Quality properties, such as pH, proximate composition, color (L* , a* , and b* values), and cooking loss were measured. Linear regression analysis showed that the L* , a* , and b* values of pork loin were significant variables for predicting the cooking loss of pork belly (P < 0.05). However, the adjusted correlation coefficient (R 2 ) of the linear regression was 0.51. Logistic regression analysis for the prediction of cooking loss groups (low, middle, and high) of pork belly, with the L* , a* , and b* values as the independent variables, resulted in 84% concordance. Pork carcasses can be sorted based on the cooking loss groups of pork belly by using the color parameters of pork loin. • Cooking loss was moderately correlated with pH in pork belly. • Cooking loss was weakly correlated with proximate composition in pork belly. • Cooking loss was not significantly correlated between pork belly and loin. • Color of loin were significant variables in predicting cooking loss of belly. • Sorting of cooking loss groups in pork belly was possible by logistic regression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in assessing carcass composition from pigs with diverse characteristics was examined in the present study. A total of 648 pigs from three different sire breeds, two sexes, two slaughter weights and three different diets were employed. DXA estimations were used to predict the dissected/chemical yield for lean and fat of carcass sides and primal cuts. The accuracy of the predictions was assessed based on coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) and residual standard deviation (RSD). The linear relationships for dissected fat and lean for all the primal cuts and carcass sides were high ( R 2 > 0.94, P < 0.01), with low RSD (< 1.9%). Relationships between DXA and chemical fat and lean of pork bellies were also high ( R 2 > 0.94, P < 0.01), with RSD < 2.9%. These linear relationships remained high over the full range of variation in the pig population, except for sire breed, where the coefficient of determination decreased when carcasses were classified based on this variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One hundred ninety-two pigs were blocked by age and stratified by initial BW (25.7 ± 2.3 kg) into pens (2 barrows and 2 gilts/pen), and within blocks, pens were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, with main effects of diet form (meal vs. pelleted) and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) inclusion (0% vs. 30%). Pigs were slaughtered after a 91-d feeding trial, and carcasses were fabricated after a 24-h chilling period. Belly dimensions and flop distance were measured, and an adipose tissue sample from each belly was collected for fatty acid analysis. Bacon was manufactured at a commercial processing facility before being returned to the University of Illinois Meat Science Laboratory for further evaluation. Although bellies from pigs fed pelleted diets were 5.3% heavier (P < 0.01) than bellies from meal-fed pigs, belly weight as a percentage of chilled side weight (P = 0.55) and fresh belly dimensions (P ≥ 0.11) were not affected by diet form. Slab bacon weight and cooked yield were greater (P ≤ 0.01) for bellies from pellet-fed than meal-fed pigs. Despite pellet-fed pigs having a 3.1-unit greater iodine value (IV) than meal-fed pigs, there was no effect (P ≥ 0.16) of diet form on commercial bacon slicing yields. Bacon slabs from pellet-fed pigs produced more (P < 0.01) total bacon slices, but 3.1% fewer (P < 0.01) slices per kilogram than slabs from meal fed pigs. Inclusion of 30% DDGS reduced belly thickness (P < 0.001), flop distance (P < 0.001), and initial belly weight (P = 0.04) by 0.32 cm, 4.97 cm, and 2.85, respectively, and increased (P < 0.001) belly fat IV by 7.1 units compared with bellies from pigs fed 0% DDGS. Feeding 0% DDGS produced more (P < 0.01) total bacon slices than feeding 30% DDGS. Distillers dried grains with solubles inclusion had no effect on slice yields (P ≥ 0.14) or slices per kilogram (P = 0.08). Overall, bellies from pellet-fed pigs were heavier and had greater IV but did not differ in commercial slicing yields from meal-fed pigs. Feeding pigs 30% DDGS produced thinner, softer bellies with greater IV, but slicing yields were not different from bellies of pigs fed 0% DDGS. Thus, swine producers can feed pelleted diets, without or with 30% DDGS, without negatively affecting commercial bacon slicing yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the effects of cooking on physicochemical and fatty acid characteristics of stewed pork. Pre-fried or raw pork belly cubes were stewed for 60, 90, 120, 150 or 180 min. After cooking, proximate chemical composition, texture, sensory evaluation, lipid oxidation, fatty acid profiles and cholesterol content were determined. Prolonged cooking time resulted in higher percentages of dry matter, fat and fat loss in stewed cubes ( P < 0.01), and pre-frying also increased fat loss. Tenderness and elasticity values of texture profile analysis and sensory scores were the highest for the cubes stewed for 180 min or by pre-frying combined with stewing for 150 min. Pre-frying and extended cooking time significantly increased lipid oxidation ( P < 0.01). Cooking modified fatty acid profiles which altered the derived cardiovascular indices, and reduced cholesterol content. Prolonged stewing improved eating quality and most nutritional values of pork belly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pork is known as one of the preferred part of meat worldwide. Especially, the belly, known as 'Samgyeopsal'in South Korea, has been preferred by consumers in South Korea. Pork belly contained various component muscles, intermuscular and subcutaneous fat. The high-fat belly cut (containing 50%-60% fat ratio) has a low preference in South Korea whereas, the standard belly cut (20%-40% fat ratio) of the consumer preference was different. In addition, the evaluation system focused on lean meat production, represented by loin eye area and back fat thickness. In this review, we discussed the pork belly structure, phenotypic correlation with lean meat production ability and meat quality, and genetic potential to confirm to possibility of application to pig breeding. Moreover, the confirmed possibilities considered that could be a base on the evaluation of standard for the pork belly as an economic trait., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Copyright 2023 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology.)

Bellies derived from the commercial population of pig carcasses are diverse in terms of tissue composition. Knowledge of the factors influencing it and the expected results, permits quick and easy evaluation of raw material. The study was designed to determine the factors affecting the tissues composition of pork bellies and to estimate their lean meat content. The research population (n=140 pig carcasses) was divided into groups according to sex (gilts, barrows), half-carcass mass (<40, 40 to 43.9, 44 to 46.9, ⩾47 kg) and lean meat content class: S (⩾60%), E (55% to 60%), U (50% to 55%), R (<50%). Bellies were subjected to a detailed dissection. Half-carcass mass affected the levels of all the analysed parameters. The only exception was the mass of the fat with the skin in the 40 to 43.9 kg group, for which the value did not differ statistically between the two groups <40 and 44 to 46.9 kg. Decrease in lean meat content affected the growth of the fat and skin mass in a linear way. No differences were observed between class S and E in terms of belly muscle mass. A 0.37% higher share of belly in the half-carcass was found for barrows (P<0.001), although bellies issued from barrows were characterized by a higher proportion of fat with skin compared with gilts (P=0.02). Interactions were observed between sex and half-carcass mass, so the sex of heavy half-carcasses becomes an important determinant for conditioning the muscle content. Equations were calculated and allow a fast and highly accurate determination of the lean meat content in bellies, suggesting they may be used directly in the production line. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objective of this study was to identify the pig belly characteristics and to develop regression equations predicting its composition. Based on video image and chemical analysis of 216 bellies, the predictive variables were selected according to their relation to chemically determined belly lipid contents. To estimate the belly fat percentage (BF%), the two best equations constructed were: Equation 1: BF% = 49.960 - 0.7174 × SHME2 + 0.5047 × HE2A (R2 = 0.66, RMSE = 3.22); Equation 2: BF% = 43.888 - 0.6014 × SHME2 + 0.4769 × HE2A + 0.0014 × ARTO2 - 0.2697 × HE3A (R2 = 0.70, RMSE = 2.25), where: SHME2 = lean meat percentage area of the belly 2 from total cut area, HE2A = the Belly2 height at point 1, ARTO2 = the Belly2 total cut area, HE3A = the Belly3 height at point 1. Compared to lean meat, the percentage of belly fat (BF%) appears to be a more appropriate criterion for the objective evaluation of belly composition due to the simplicity and accuracy of the final regression equation (higher R2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to estimate the genetic parameters for pork belly traits and muscles in Yorkshire pigs. Each pork belly was cut into nine parts perpendicular to the thoracic vertebrae (6th to 14th). Traits of belly muscles including the deep pectoral, latissimus dorsi, cutaneous trunci, rectus abdominis, external and internal abdominal oblique from 382 purebred pigs were recorded and analyzed using SAS Package (9.1) and Derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood methods. Heritability estimates for belly traits ranged from 0.27 to 0.49, while they were 0.12 to 0.66 for belly muscles. Moderate to high heritability estimates were noted in belly weight (0.33), belly length (0.28), and belly width (0.49). In belly muscles, the latissimus dorsi and deep pectoral, which are located only in the 6th to 9th vertebrae sections, were found to have heritability estimates ranging from 0.21 to 0.29 and 0.23 to 0.35, respectively. Strong heritability estimates were observed in the 7th to 13th sections of cutaneous trunci muscle ranging from 0.42 to 0.66. Genetic correlations of latissimus dorsi m. with belly length were positive (0.50), while cutaneous trunci m. with belly weight also revealed a positive relationship that ranged from 0.35 to 0.47. The estimated genetic parameters indicate that belly weight can be improved by genetic selection. Differences in the levels of heritability occurred among various parameters of Yorkshire pork belly, which should be considered when performing selection to improve pork belly quality. Moreover, these results can provide valuable information that can be used as the basis for further investigations to improve pork belly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the effect of natural ingredient seasoning on the reduction of heterocyclic amine (HCA) production that may occur when pork belly is cooked at a very high temperature for a long time. Pork belly seasoned with natural ingredients, such as natural spices, blackcurrant, and gochujang, was cooked using the most common cooking methods, such as boiling, pan fry, and barbecue. HCAs in pork belly were extracted through solid-phase extraction and analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography. For short-term toxicity, a mouse model was used to analyze weight, feed intake, organ weight, and length; hematology and serology analysis were also performed. Results revealed that HCAs formed only when heating was performed at a very high temperature for a long time, not under general cooking conditions. Although the toxicity levels were not dangerous, the method showing the relatively highest toxicity among various cooking methods was barbecue, and the natural material with the highest toxicity reduction effect was blackcurrant. Furthermore, seasoning pork belly with natural materials containing a large amount of antioxidants, such as vitamin C, can reduce the production of toxic substances, such as HCAs, even if pork belly is heated to high temperatures., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Copyright 2022 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology.)

Supercooling is the method of lowering the temperature of a foodstuff below its freezing point without phase transitions. This storage technique has a potential advantage for extending shelf life. Nevertheless, the supercooled state of food is thermodynamically unstable. To accomplish supercooling storage, slow cooling rate and minimized temperature fluctuation are necessary. Thus, a stepwise cooling algorithm was designed and applied in this study. Pork belly and chicken breast were stored at 3 °C, −18 °C (freezing), and supercooling treatment was applied to them for 12 days. All samples preserved their supercooled state and were unfrozen during the storage period. Overall, supercooled samples were advantageous in respect of drip loss compared to that of frozen samples, regardless of type of sample. Total volatile basic nitrogen, total aerobic account, and cooking loss of pork belly was higher than in the chicken breast due to the high fat retention in pork belly as compared to chicken breast, in particular, at refrigerated storage condition. Samples stored at supercooling treatment prevented increase in volatile basic nitrogen and microbial growth. Therefore, the supercooled state was successful when using stepwise algorithm, and it was effective at maintaining meat quality compared to freezing and refrigeration storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The impact of food transformations on final nutritional quality of food products is a major question that has been studied only partially. This paper propose an assessment of different preservation processes with the light of two overall nutritional scores, positive (SAIN) and negative (LIM), developed in 2008, in response to a European regulation made to improve nutritional information on processed food. With the example of two different products, apple and pork meat, the objective is to monitor the nutritional scores as a function of the preservation operation chosen, isolated or combined, traditional or innovative. The results show that nutritional scores are very different as a function of the mass transfers involved during the preservation operation. The results give insights in the ability of a technological choice to modify the nutritional quality of a food item and potentially orientate a food label. This work also shows the limitations of using global nutritional scores as a tool to evaluate a food process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Research was successfully undertaken to identify one or more non-invasive measuring sites on the primal belly which would predict belly fatness as well as or better than backfat depth at the grading site. Crossbred market weight gilts (n =297) were slaughtered, dressed, graded, chilled and fabricated into primals according to commercial Canadian practice. A series of measurements were made on the primal both directly on the belly/loin cut, and from images of the cut. The ribbed, skinned and trimmed belly was ground for NIR compositional analysis. Both grade fat depth and one direct fat measurement (SFt) on the belly were equally strongly correlated with % fat in the belly (r =0.86, P <0.0001). Stepwise regression showed that calculated fat depths (Nolean 1 and 2) supplemented by a lean measurement (SLn) returned an R 2 of 0.854 (RMSE 3.20), outperforming the grade site data (R 2 =0.762, RMSE 4.09). Prediction of belly fatness from measurements taken at the intersection of the belly/loin and belly/shoulder cuts was found to be poor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A range of composition characteristics of the longissimus (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles were compared between pigs raised in intensive and extensive production systems in New Zealand (NZ), and pigs raised in an intensive system in Indonesia for supply to the Singapore market (n =8/group). Ultimate pH was slightly higher for the Singaporean LL muscles (P <0.05), while LL muscle of the NZ extensive group was redder (higher a ∗ values) and contained more fat (P <0.05). Muscle iron levels were highest for the NZ extensive group and lowest for a lighter group within the Singapore pigs (P <0.05). Differences in fatty acid concentrations, which were also measured in a sample of the belly cut, could largely be attributed to the effects of diet, with higher levels of alpha linolenic acid for the NZ extensive group (P <0.05) due to linseed in the diet, and much higher levels of linoleic acid and the P:S ratio for the Singapore group (P <0.05). Some statistically significant differences in amino acid concentrations were shown between muscles and groups, but they were not large. With respect to compounds with potential bioactive properties, coenzyme Q10, and taurine levels were higher in pork from NZ pigs, and carnosine levels were highest for the NZ intensive group (P <0.05). The LL muscle contained more coenzyme Q10 and taurine, but less carnosine than the SM muscle (P <0.001). It is concluded that some of these composition differences in the pork from the muscles and groups compared may be of commercial importance, but several are likely to have been due to dietary or weight differences. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A total of 119 Duroc×(Landrace×Yorkshire) commercial pigs were used to investigate the effect of growth rate (fast vs slow), sex (barrows vs gilts) and slaughter liveweight (107, 115 and 125kg) on the fat characteristics of bellies. Backfat thickness increased with weight (P <0.01). Fat firmness score was only affected by sex (P <0.05), with gilts showing softer bellies than barrows. Fat from gilts and slow growing pigs showed a lower proportion of saturated fatty acids (SFA; P <0.001 and P <0.01, respectively), a higher proportion of linoleic fatty acid (C18:2 n-6; P <0.01), a higher proportion of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; P <0.001 and P <0.01, respectively), and an increased iodine value (P <0.001). Consequently, the fat from these bellies had higher PUFA:SFA ratios (P <0.001) and n-6:n-3 ratios (P <0.01 and P <0.001, respectively) than that from the bellies of barrows and fast growing pigs. The belly fat from barrows and fast growing pigs had higher stearic fatty acid (C18:0; P <0.01) and SFA proportions (P <0.001 and P <0.01, respectively) than that from gilts and slow growing pigs. The belly fat from gilts and slow growing pigs would better meet the health requirements of consumers, but it is more prone to rancidity during storage leading to a potentially reduced bacon shelf-life. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]