Pork Loins: Effect of Location of Chops in the Medial Loin Region and Position of Cores in Cross Section of the Longissimus Muscle on Tenderness and Juiciness

Forty pork loins were tested for differences in tenderness, juiciness and Warner-Bratzler shear values of chop locations in the center region of the longissimus muscle and core position within each chop. No significant difference was found between different locations of the chops within the loin. Cores proximal to the spinal process were significantly more tender by shear test than the distal cores within each chop. Tenderness and juiciness, as evaluated by a taste panel, also were significantly greater in the position proximal to the spinal process. From the results of this study, the selection of a single chop at any location within the center region of the pork loin could be considered a representative sample. This is not true for sample locations within the chop. Because of the positional differences, several sample locations, including positions proximal and distal to the spinal process, must be measured to obtain representative values for the individual chop.