Application of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for the Classification of Fresh Pork Quality in Cooked Ham Production

Destructured zones in the core of cooked ham are associated with PSE in terms of biochemical characteristics. In this study, the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to predict the suitability of fresh pork for the production of cooked ham was investigated. Using NIR spectra obtained in a first trial (inducing PSE characteristics in Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscles) and in a second trial (collecting Semimembranosus (SM) samples either with or without presence of visual PSE characteristics) resulted in 93.3 and 90.0 % correct classification after cross-validation for respectively the LTL and SM samples. In a third experiment, 48 fresh hams were processed to high-quality cooked hams, sliced, and visually classified as inferior or normal quality (i.e., presence or absence of destructured zones, respectively). Measuring NIR spectra on the Biceps femoris (BF) muscle after deboning resulted in a 56.5 % correct classification after cross-validation for inferior-quality hams. It can be concluded that NIRS has potential to discriminate PSE from normal pork.