Investigation of elements for pork quality evaluation.

Objective To understand the similarities and differences of the pork quality evaluation criteria between consumers and pork producers so as to provide guidance to manufacturers to improve pork quality.Methods A total of 39 quality control sector representatives from 39 pork producers belonging to ten provinces(Hebei,Henan,Guangdong,etc.) and 120 consumers were surveyed for how to assess the quality of pork.Results The results showed a general lack of related knowledge for consumers to distinguish the pork quality,and there was a serious information asymmetry problem between producers and consumers.Apart from the external sensory characteristics,such as freshness and the degree of fat covering,consumers forecasted the pork quality from brand,price,muscle location and other information.Conclusion Although pork producers understood the factors that influence consumers' purchase decisions,they still lacked of in-depth investigation of the consumer demands for pork quality which were reflected by the facts that pork producers and sales evaluated the pork quality largely by the sensory characteristics but ignore the nutrition,health,taste and other quality attributes which were also concerned about by the consumers.