RESUMO
Eighty Italian Duroc×Italian Large White pigs (BW 42.6±3.37kg) were used to determine the effects of pure glycerol on growth performance and meat quality of heavy pigs. Pigs were divided into five groups receiving 0% (control), 5% or 10% during the growing and finishing phases (42.6-160kg BW) (G+F5,G+F10) or 5% or 10% during the finishing period (100-160kg BW) (FIN5,FIN10) of pure glycerol in substitution for maize meal (on a dry matter basis). The pigs were slaughtered at approximately 160kg BW. The growth performance of pigs fed 5% glycerol did not differ from controls regardless of feeding duration, whereas those fed 10% glycerol showed reduced growth and poorer feed:gain ratio. Fat quality and meat suitability for raw ham curing were not affected by dietary treatment. Differences were not consistent enough to draw any conclusion about the effects of feeding glycerol on sensory characteristics.
RESUMO
Two consumer studies were conducted to know the acceptability of pork with different boar taint levels: test 1 performed in Spain (n=126) and United Kingdom (n=146), and test 2 performed in France (n=139) and Italy (n=140). Each test had 3 types of pork: 'Female meat', 'Low boar tainted meat', and a third type was 'Medium boar tainted meat' or 'High boar tainted meat'. Three main clusters were identified on the basis of 'How delicious do you find this meat?': 1-Pork lovers, 2-Boar meat lovers, 3-Reject boar tainted meat. Additionally, in test 2, a fourth cluster was identified: 'Reject low tainted meat'. A group of 16.2-38.2% of consumers rejected meat from boars, and another group of 12.4-21.7% rated the meat with medium or high levels of boar taint better than the meat from females, identifying a niche for meat from medium and high levels of boar taint, and suggesting the need to select carcasses on the basis of boar taint.