Bacon studies

Overholt MF, Lowell JE, Kim GD, Boler DD, Kerr BJ, Dilger AC. Influence of feeding thermally peroxidized soybean oil to finishing barrows on processing characteristics and shelf life of commercially manufactured bacon.
J Anim Sci. 2018 Jun 29;96(7):2723-2733. doi: 10.1093/jas/sky179

Abstract. Objectives were to evaluate effects of feeding soybean oil (SO) with varying levels of peroxidation on fresh belly characteristics, processing yields, and shelf life of commercially manufactured bacon stored under food-service-style conditions. Fifty-six barrows were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 diets containing 10% fresh SO (22.5 °C) or thermally processed SO (45 °C for 288 h, 90 °C for 72 h, or 180 °C for 6 h), each infused with air at a rate of 15 L/min. Individually housed pigs were provided ad libitum access to feed for 81 d. On day 82, pigs were slaughtered, and on day 83, carcasses were fabricated and bellies collected for recording of weight, dimensions, and flop distance. Belly adipose tissue cores were collected for the analysis of iodine value (IV) by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR-IV). Bacon was manufactured at a commercial processing facility, and sliced bacon was subsequently transferred to food-service-style packaging and subjected to 0-, 30-, 60-, or 90-d storage at -20 °C. Stored bacon was evaluated for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and trained sensory evaluation of oxidized odor and flavor. Fresh belly and bacon processing traits were analyzed as a 1-way ANOVA with the fixed effect of SO, whereas shelf life traits were analyzed as a 1-way ANOVA repeated in time. There was no effect (P ≥ 0.30) of SO on belly weight, length, width, or thickness, but bellies of pigs fed 90 °C SO had greater (P ≤ 0.04) flop distance (more firm) than all other SO treatments. Belly fat NIR-IV of pigs fed 90 °C SO were 10.22 units less (P < 0.0001) than pigs fed 180 °C SO, which were 2.99 and 3.29 units less than belly adipose tissue of pigs fed 22.5 and 45 °C SO, respectively. There was no effect of SO on brine uptake or cooking yield of commercially manufactured bacon. There was a trend (P = 0.09) for bacon manufactured from bellies of pigs fed 45 and 90 °C SO to have greater slicing yields than those from pigs fed 22.5 and 180 °C SO. There were no SO × storage time interactions (P ≥ 0.27) for any shelf life trait. There was no difference in TBARS, oxidized odor, or oxidized flavor among the 4 SO treatments, although all 3 shelf life metrics increased (P < 0.0001) with storage time. Overall, feeding SO thermally processed at 90 and 180 °C reduced belly adipose tissue IV, but feeding peroxidized SO did not affect processing yields or shelf life characteristics of commercially manufactured bacon.

Little KL, Kyle JM, Bohrer BM, Schroeder AL, Fedler CA, Prusa KJ, Boler DD. A comparison of slice characteristics and sensory characteristics of bacon from immunologically castrated barrows with bacon from physically castrated barrows, boars, and gilts. J Anim Sci. 2014 Dec;92(12):5769-77. doi: 10.2527/jas.2014-8272. 

Abstract. The objectives were to compare slice characteristics and sensory attributes of bacon from immunologically castrated (IC) barrows with bacon from other sexes using a trained sensory panel. Bacon was obtained for sensory evaluation from 3 experiments. In Exp. 1, trimmed and squared bellies (n=180) of IC barrows, IC barrows fed ractopamine hydrochloride (IC+RAC), physically castrated (PC) barrows, intact males (IM), and gilts were used. Data were analyzed as a general linear mixed model and pen (n=48) served as the experimental unit. Treatment (sex or diet) was a fixed effect in all 3 experiments. In Exp. 2, untrimmed, natural fall bellies (n=96) from IC and PC barrows fed 0 or 30% or a withdrawal distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) program when slaughtered at 5 wk after the second dose (25 wk of age) were used. In Exp. 3, untrimmed, natural fall bellies (n=96) from IC and PC barrows fed the same experimental diets as in experiment 2 but slaughtered at 7 wk after the second dose (27 wk of age) were used. Data from Exp. 2 and 3 were analyzed as a 2×3 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design and pen was the experimental unit. Bellies from all 3 experiments were processed using the same protocols. In Exp. 1, IM had the greatest (P<0.0001) boar aroma and flavor scores among all treatments. No differences were detected among the other treatment groups for boar aroma or flavor. Intact males had the least (P<0.0001) desirable cured bacon aroma and flavor among all treatments. No differences were detected among the other treatment groups for bacon aroma or flavor. There were no differences in bacon aroma or off-flavor between IC and PC barrows slaughtered at 5 wk after the second dose regardless of DDGS feeding program. Bacon from PC barrows was saltier (P<0.01) than bacon from IC barrows when slaughtered at 5 wk after the second dose. There were no differences in bacon aroma, off-aroma, bacon flavor, or saltiness between IC and PC barrows slaughtered at 7 wk after the second dose regardless of DDGS feeding program. Total slice area of bacon slices from IC barrows slaughtered at 5 wk after the second dose were less (P<0.01) than PC barrows, but the differences diminished (P=0.16) when slaughtered at 7 wk after the second dose. Overall, panelists successfully detected boar odor and flavor in Exp. 1. Immunological castration was as effective as physical castration at eliminating boar aroma and boar flavor in bacon even when feeding differing DDGS feeding programs or when slaughtered at 5 or 7 wk after the second dose.

Li F, Zhuang H, Qiao W, Zhang J, Wang Y. Effect of partial substitution of NaCl by KCl on physicochemical properties, biogenic amines and N-nitrosamines during ripening and storage of dry-cured bacon. J Food Sci Technol. 2016 Oct;53(10):3795-3805. doi: 10.1007/s13197-016-2366-x. 

Abstract. Effects of three salting treatments (Formulation II: 80 % NaCl + 20 % KCl; Formulation III: 60 % NaCl + 40 % KCl and Formulation IV: 40 % NaCl + 60 % KCl) on physicochemical properties, residual nitrite, N-nitrosamines and biogenic amines were compared with those of control bacons (Formulation I: 100 % NaCl) during processing and storage. Results showed that there were no significant differences among treatments for moisture, pH, and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) content in dry-cured bacons during processing. The replacement of 40 % or less NaCl by KCl had no negative effects on the sensory quality of bacons during processing. Formulation III significantly reduced putrescine, cadaverine and histamine contents and enhanced nitrite residues compared with the control. After 12-day ripening and during storage, the substitution of NaCl by 60 % KCl significantly increased the N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) content than the control. Principal component analysis showed that there were positive correlations between TVBN, biogenic amines (putrescine, cadaverine, histamine and tyramine) and NDMA, and negative correlation between NDMA and nitrite. These findings suggested the partial substitution of NaCl by KCl could be utilized for producing reduced-sodium dry-cured bacons to improve safety of finished products.

Aaslyng MD, Koch AG. The use of smoke as a strategy for masking boar taint in sausages and bacon.
Food Res Int. 2018 Jun;108:387-395. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2018.03.069.

Sivendiran T, Wang LM, Huang S, Bohrer BM. The effect of bacon pump retention levels following thermal processing on bacon slice composition and sensory characteristics.
Meat Sci. 2018 Jun;140:128-133. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.03.007.

Saldaña E, Castillo LS, Sánchez JC, Siche R, de Almeida MA, Behrens JH, Selani MM, Contreras-Castillo CJ. Descriptive analysis of bacon smoked with Brazilian woods from reforestation: methodological aspects, statistical analysis, and study of sensory characteristics.
Meat Sci. 2018 Jun;140:44-50. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.02.014.

Lowell JE, Bohrer BM, Wilson KB, Overholt MF, Harsh BN, Stein HH, Dilger AC, Boler DD. Growth performance, carcass quality, fresh belly characteristics, and commercial bacon slicing yields of growing-finishing pigs fed a subtherapeutic dose of an antibiotic, a natural antimicrobial, or not fed an antibiotic or antimicrobial.
Meat Sci. 2018 Feb;136:93-103. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2017.10.011.

McLean KG, Hanson DJ, Jervis SM, Drake MA. Consumer Perception of Retail Pork Bacon Attributes Using Adaptive Choice-based Conjoint Analysis and Maximum Differential Scaling.
J Food Sci. 2017 Nov;82(11):2659-2668. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.13934.

Li F, Zhuang H, Qiao W, Zhang J, Wang Y. Effect of partial substitution of NaCl by KCl on physicochemical properties, biogenic amines and N-nitrosamines during ripening and storage of dry-cured bacon.
J Food Sci Technol. 2016 Oct;53(10):3795-3805. doi: 10.1007/s13197-016-2366-x.