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Why is fat quality so important?

By Matt Schulte Meat Scientist

Pork fat quality is an economically important trait. It influences slicing yields, eating quality of pork products, and consumer appeal in terms of fat, color, and texture. Many factors can affect fat quality, such as nutrition, genetics, gender, weight, age, and anatomical location. We define fat quality based on the color, texture, and composition of the fat. Fat composition can influence the fat’s firmness, rancidity, flavor, and nutritional aspects. Fat firmness can influence profitability and should therefore be monitored by producers, packers, and processors.

Matt Schulte has been a Meat Scientist at Topigs Norsvin since 2022. He holds a PhD in Meat Science from Iowa State University. Matt provides technical services and support to customers in North and South America and parts of Asia. He also conducts trials in the US to assess carcass and meat quality variations to continue benchmarking Topigs Norsvin’s genetic lines.

Fat firmness

What is the best way to measure fat firmness?
“Several physical and chemical methods are available to measure fat firmness. However, the method used most by packers and processors is the iodine value. This indicates the amount of iodine absorbed per 100 grams of fat. A low iodine value indicates a firmer and more desirable pork fat with a higher value of saturated fats.”

Fat color

Why should fat color be monitored?
“Fat color can influence consumer purchasing decisions and has an influence on exported products. Desirable firmer fats are typically whiter in color, and the less desirable softer fats are more yellow in color.”

Fat composition and shelf life

What is the relationship between fat composition and shelf life?
“Firmer pork fat contains more saturated fats that help improve product shelf life. This is because saturated fats become rancid less easily than unsaturated fats. That is particularly important in products with a higher fat content, like the belly.”

Nutrition and genetics

“How do nutrition and genetics influence fat quality?
A pig’s diet can have a major impact on fat quality. Therefore, when feed prices are high be careful about using least-cost formula diets. These feed ingredients can have a greater unsaturated fat content, which can have a negative impact on fat quality.

Topigs Norsvin uses genetics to influence fat quality by selecting animals with an inherently lower iodine value and so more saturated fats.”

Other factors

What other factors influence fat quality?
“Gender and animal age also play a role in fat quality. Entire boars have low levels of saturated fat and so less fat firmness compared to gilts and barrows (surgical castrates). Pigs that are immunologically castrated have a saturated fat level between entire boars and barrows as you can see from the figure below. Furthermore, older animals have higher saturated fat levels than younger animals. I therefore recommend that production practices related to gender and animal age are carefully monitored to ensure optimal fat quality is realized.”

Figure: How gender affects pork fat firmness
SC = Surgical Castrate

IC = Immuno Castrate
EM = Entire Male

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