Effects of Different Chilling Methods on Hot Processed Vacuum Packaged Pork

Longissimus muscle (loin section) was removed from each side of 24 pork carcasses within 20 min postmortem. Each muscle was divided in half (N = 96 sections), vacuum packaged and allotted to one of four treatments: (1) normal chilling, (2) propylene glycol immersion, (3) crust freezing, or (4) high temperature conditioning and four storage intervals (N = 6) or 0, 7, 14 or 28 days. Rapid chilling with propylene glycol increased (P<0.05) purge. Shear force values were increased when loins were rapidly chilled (P<0.05) but few sensory differences were observed. Off-odor scores increased (P<0.05) with increasing storage time. Normal chilling resulted in lighter muscle color scores than rapidly chilled loin sections. Rapid chilling does not have a beneficial effect on palatability or shelf life of hot-processed fresh pork.