Advanced meat recovery system (AMRS) are being utilized in the pork industry to mechanically remove tissue from bones. Pork from AMRS, referred to as pork trim-finely textured (PTFT), has properties that may be beneficial and some which may cause decreased storage stability when incorporated into other pork products. The PTFT was characterized and compared to 80% lean ground pork (GP) and knife trimmed lean (KT). PTFT had higher total pigment, cholesterol, iron and calcium and lower collagen content than GP or KT. Fat content was similar to GP and KT. Ground pork patties (10 or 20% fat) with 0, 5, 10, or 15% PTFT incorporated had increased redness and juiciness and decreased hardness, chewiness and cohesiveness due to PTFT. Addition of up to 15% PTFT did not negatively influence any final product attributes. The same formulations of patties, evaluated during fresh and frozen storage, did not have increased lipid oxidation due to PTFT. PTFT did not affect fresh patty sensory attributes, microbial counts, lightness or metmyoglobin content. PTFT can be incorporated up to 15% in ground pork without altering shelf-stability or negatively influencing any final product attributes.
Ground pork with 0 or 15% PTFT and 0 or 3.3% sodium lactate (NaL) stored in chubs 14 days (${-}2.2\sp\circ$C) was ground and modified atmosphere packed (MAP) or overwrapped (OW) for 4 days retail display. Lipid oxidation increased due to PTFT but was reduced by NaL. The MAP had lower microbial counts, lipid oxidation and metmyoglobin formation and maintained redness compared to OW. Packaging interventions may be necessary to achieve 4 days retail display for ground pork from chubs containing PTFT.
A method developed to extract bone marrow from bones reduced calcium content approximately 90% compared to an available method. The bone marrow was extracted from rib, scapula, aitch/hip, and vertebrae bones and analyzed for physical and chemical composition. Bone marrow appears to have properties that may contribute to the composition of meat from advanced meat recovery.
The findings reported in this dissertation support the use of PTFT, obtained from an advanced meat recovery system, in ground pork formulations which increase the market value of this recovered meat. The PTFT provides a dual advantage to the pork industry; repetitive motion trauma is decreased and PTFT provides a useful and economical meat source for incorporation into other products and formulations.
