Earticle

본 연구에서는 2011년부터 2017년 사이에 Duroc종 1,105두의 자료를 이용하여 육질 관련 형질과 지방산 조성에 대한 유전 모수를 추정하고 관능 특성과의 상관관계에 대해서 분석하였다. 육질 관련 형질은 수분 함량, 지방 함량, 보수력, 가열감량 그리고 전단력을, 지방산 조성의 경우 팔미트산, 스테아르산, 올레산, 리놀레산 및 리놀렌산을 포함한다. 관능 특성의 경우 색, 향, 연도, 다즙성과 기호성에 대해 수집하였다. 분산과 공분산 추정은 제한최대우도법을 이용하여 형질에 따라 다른 모델을 적용하였다. 유전력 추정 결과 수분 함량, 지방 함량, 보수력, 가열감량과 전단력은 각각 0.17, 0.58, 0.34, 0.31과 0.42로 각각 나타났다. 지방산 조성에 대한 유전력 추정 결과치는 0.34에서 0.63 범위로 중도에서 고도의 범위로 조사되었다. 유전 상관 분석에서는 수분함량과 지방함량 사이에서 –0.60으로 나타난 반면 수분함량과 전단력 간에는 0.46으로 확인되었다. 육질 관련 형질들 간의 표현형 상관분석에 대한 결과는 전반적으로 낮게 나타났다. 리놀레산은 팔미트산과 올레산과 각각 상관분석을 한 결과 유전상관과 표현형상관 모두 높은 부의 상관관계를 보였다. 육질 관련 형질과 관능 특성 간의 상관분석 결과에서 전체적인 기호성은 보수력과 정의 상관관계(0.208), 전단력과는 부의 상관관계(-0.207)를 보였다. 이 연구의 유전모수의 추정 결과를 통해 소비자들의 기호에 맞는 육질 개선에 대한 방향을 제시하는데 이용할 수 있을 것이라 생각된다.

Genetic parameters for meat quality, sensory traits, and fatty acid compositions were estimated using data collected from approximately 1100 purebred Duroc pigs between 2011 and 2017. The meat quality traits evaluated were: moisture content (MC), fat content (FC), water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), and shear force (SF). Meat samples were evaluated for the following fatty acids: palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. We evaluated the meat for the following sensory traits: color, flavor, tenderness, juiciness, and acceptability of the meat. Variance and covariance components were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood procedures on different animal models. The results showed that the estimates of heritability for MC, FC, WHC, CL, and SF were 0.17, 0.58, 0.34, 0.31, and 0.42, respectively. The heritability estimates for fatty acid composition were moderate to high (0.34 to 0.63). The estimates of genetic correlation were -0.60 and 0.46 between MC and FC, and MC and SF, respectively. Generally, phenotypic correlation between meat quality traits was low. Linoleic acid had moderate to high negative phenotypic and genotypic correlation with both palmitic and oleic acid. Comparison of meat quality traits and sensory traits revealed a positive correlation (0.208) between acceptability and WHC, while the correlation between acceptability and SF was negative (-0.207). The estimated genetic parameters among meat quality traits, sensory traits, and fatty acid composition in this study are expected to be used to improve pork to suit consumer preferences.

The objective of this study was to investigate meat quality and nutritional composition of 10 cuts (loin, striploin, chuck roll, chuck tender, short plate, brisket, bottom round, top sirloin, eye of round, and top round) from quality grade 1 beef from 11 Hanwoo steers at Hanwoo Experimental Station of National Institute of Animal Science. The protein contents were higher in top round (Udoon) and eye of round (Hongduke) and lower in loin (Dngsim) and short plate (Abjin) when compared to the other cuts (p<0.05). Whereas the intramuscular fat contents were highest in loin (12.51%), those were lowest in top round (4.14%) (p<0.05). The calories were higher in loin and short plate and lower in top round, chuck tender (Guri), top sirloin (Bosup), eye of round, chuck roll (Moksim), and bottom round (Sulgit) (p<0.05). The cooking loss (%) was 24.38% in loin and it was lower than the other cuts (p<0.05). The bottom round had higher water holding capacity (WHC) and chuck tender had lower WHC than those in the other cuts (p<0.05). In meat color, L* values were higher in loin and lower in top round than the other cuts (p<0.05). Total saturated fatty acid contents were higher in loin and lower in bottom round than the other cuts (p<0.05). In amino acid compositions, top round had significantly higher than those in the other cuts (p<0.05). The iron contents were higher in chuck tender and chuck roll contained higher iron contents than those of the other cuts (p<0.05). In conclusion, the meat quality and nutritional properties were significantly different among 10 cuts in the same quality grade of Hanwoo beef. Therefore, the provision of the meat quality and nutritional information of 10 cuts to consumers could be important for utilization and balanced consumption of different cuts.

The experiment was undertaken to measure the potential impact of animal welfare on the pork quality under two different farming systems: C1 and C2, two conventional farms; W, an animal welfare farm. Ten pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc) of live weight 110 kg were randomly selected from each treatment, and slaughtered under uniform conditions. The left loins were collected, and subsequently analyzed for proximate composition, meat quality traits, fatty acids, free amino acids, and antioxidative dipeptides. Pork from the welfare farm (W) had greater back-fat depth and fat content, but the values were not significantly different from C1 or C2. The W loins had significantly lower moisture contents and pH values compared to C1 or C2. The C2 loins showed highest contents of unsaturated fatty acids, whereas C1 had higher polyunsaturated fatty acids as compared to W. The treatments did not show any significant differences in the contents of free aspartic acid. Anserine (an antioxidant dipeptide) from the W loins was significantly lower than that from the conventional farms. The results indicate that pork quality characteristics from animal welfare-farmed pigs were not different from those of conventional farms. Therefore, it would be appropriate to evaluate the industrial value of animal welfare livestock only at the stage of pig production, rather than the meat quality of pork.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dry-aging and wet-aging conditions on the chemical composition, meat quality traits (color, water holding capacity, cooking loss, WBSF and pH) and shelf-life TBARS (2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and VBN (volatile basic nitrogen) of loin (M. longissimus thoracis), sirloin (M. glutaeusmedus) and top-round (M. semimembranosus) cuts of Hanwoo cows. The dry-aging condition (temperature ℃, relative humidity %) was done for 60 d as 2℃, 65％, 20 d＋2℃, 75％, 20 d＋4℃, 85％, 20 d while, the wet-aging was done for 60 d at 1℃, 85%. Results revealed that moisture content was significantly higher in the dry-aged samples than that of the wet-aged samples at 60 d (p<0.05). The a*- and b*-values were significantly higher in 3 cuts as compared with those treated with wet-aging condition. During the dry-aging time, the WHC significantly increased in the loin and sirloin and they were significantly higher than wet-aging condition at 40 d and 60 d (p<0.05). The WBSF values significantly decreased with increased aging time and there was no significant difference between two aging methods. The TBARS and VBN contents significantly increased with increased aging time for all the wet- and dry-aged cuts, and their levels still fell within the acceptable standard limit. Generally, the TBARS and VBN contents were significantly higher in the dry-aged cuts, probably due to the increased levels of protein and fatty acids oxidations. Based on the results obtained in the present study, it can be suggested that application of dry-aging method can improve the quality characteristics of beef.

Analysis of meat quality grade based on the DNA identity test samples were done on 320 Hanwoo (Korean cattle) raised in Gyeonggi region of Korea. 62.29% of cows and 91.35% of steers showed high quality which was above 1st beef grade. However, differences were observed between Gyeonggi Hanwoo and total slaughtered Hanwoo in Gyeonggi in the year 2009, though the sampling was entirely based high quality meat. Meat samples of pedigree registered cattle showed high rate of above 1st meat grade compared to advanced and fundamentally registered cattle. Pedigree registry is associated with quality grade of beef like the sex of cattle. Appearance rate of above 1st beef grade in offsprings of the top 9 Korean Proven Bulls produced through mating to Gyeonggi Hanwoo was 43.27% which was found to be higher than the average grade in cows (47.3%) and was 13.08% higher than the average grade in steers (77.49%). Our results showed superior genetic characters of Korean Proven Bulls which favors and influence the meat quality grade of their offsprings. Furthermore, our results claim that sex of Hanwoo irrespective of pedigreed or Korean Proven Bulls affects and/or influence the meat quality. Conclusively, the results could therefore be used as a basic data for the improvement of beef quality. However, paternity test by DNA typing and huge sample needs to be analysed to authenticate the findings.

In this study, the analysis of meat quality grade was carried out on the DNA identity test samples of 452 Hanwoo (Korean cattle) raised in Gyeongnam region in the year 2009. Appearance rate of above 1st grade from cow (70%) and steer (93.16%) showed high quality grade. On the other hand, there were the difference between this study and slaughtered Hanwoo in Gyeongnam in the year 2009 - appearance rate of above 1st grade from cow (58.77%) and steer (82.99%). It expect considered influence of the samples for beef DNA identity test that collected mainly high quality meat. Quality grade by registry classification about collected samples showed correlation between pedigree classification and quality grade that appearance rate of above 1st grade highly observed pedigree registry more than advanced registry, advanced registry than fundamental registry. Although limited to DNA identity test samples, KPN (Korean Proven Bull's Number) 452 and KPN 407 was preferred for breeding in Gyeongnam. Also average appearance rate of above 1st grade in offsprings of the top 10 Korean Proven Bulls used mating is 95.35%. It means that Korean Proven Bulls influence meat quality of offsprings positively. Thus, this analysis is expected to be a base data for the improvement of meat quality of Hanwoo raised in Gyeongnam region.

A total of 30 Korean native pigs (gilt 15, boar 15) were used to investigate the carcass characteristics, meat quality, amino acid, and fatty acid composition by gender. The carcass weight of boars were significantly higher than gilts, whereas the carcass yield of gilts had significantly higher than boars (p<0.01). Boars had significantly higher moisture contents in loin muscle than gilts, whereas the protein contents of loin muscle had significantly higher in gilts than boars (p<0.01). In the results of meat quality analysis, the cooking loss (p<0.01), shearing force (p<0.05), lightness (L) and yellowness (b) in meat color (p<0.05) were significantly higher, but the pH was significantly lower (p<0.01) in gilts compared with boars. Arginine (p<0.05), alanine, aspartic acid, histidine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, serine, threonine and tyrosin (p<0.01) for gilts were significantly higher than those for boars. The results of fatty acid composition showed that gilts had significantly higher contents of C16:1n7, C18:1n9, C20:1n9 (p<0.01) than boars in intramuscular fat, whereas boars had significantly higher contents of C18:2n6, C20:4n6 (p<0.01) and C18:3n3 (p<0.05) than gilts in intramuscular fat.

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of parity on chemical composition and meat quality of Hanwoo cows (n=74, 2-15 years old). The beef loin and top round muscle samples were obtained and divided by 3 groups of parity numbers (G1, 0; G2, 1-3; G3, 4-9 times). Loin and top round from G1 had significantly higher intramuscular fat contents and lower protein contents than those from G3 (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in collagen contents among 3 parity groups (p>0.05). In meat color, G1 was higher in a* values for loin and higher in L* and a* values for top round muscle (p<0.05). The loin from G1 had significantly lower cooking loss (%) than G3, however, there was no significant difference in water holding capacity among 3 parity groups. For top round muscle, G3 had significantly higher Warner-Bratzler shear force values and lower water holding capacity values than G1 (p<0.05). In fatty acid composition, G1 had significantly higher C18:1n7 and C18:1n9 contents for loin, and it had significantly higher C16:1n7 and C18:1n7 contents for top round than those of the other groups (p<0.05). In free amino acid composition, alanine was highest and followed by glutamine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, proline, glycine, methionine. In conclusion, the parity conditions influenced on chemical composition and meat quality depending on different cut of Hanwoo cows, and the parity numbers were related with the age of cows.

The present study was undertaken to examine if the carcass and pork quality of finishing pigs reared on a low plane of nutrition (LPN) could be improved compared with that of the pigs finished on a high plane of nutrition (HPN). Sixty-eight crossbred (LYD) barrows and 68 LYD gilts weighing approximately 50 kg were fed a diet containing 3.54 Mcal DE/kg with 1.00% lysine (HPN) or 3.02 Mcal DE/kg with 0.68% lysine (LPN) in eight pens up to approximately 120 kg and slaughtered. The belly, loin, ham, and Boston butt were cut out from a total of 20 carcasses, after which physicochemical and sensory quality attributes of the belly and the representative muscle of each of the loin, ham, and Boston butt were evaluated. The ADG, gain:feed ratio, and backfat thickness were less for LPN than for HPN (p<0.05). The cooking loss, hardness, and chewiness values for the Boston butt were less for LPN vs. HPN. In sensory evaluation for fresh meat (muscle), the subjective quality scores were greater for LPN vs. HPN in color, marbling, and acceptability for the loin, the muscle:fat balance score for the belly tending to be greater for LPN (p<0.10). In addition, LPN was superior to HPN in the flavor and juiciness in sensory evaluation for cooked ham. In conclusion, the present results suggest that the carcass and pork quality of finishing pigs could be improved with reduced growth performance by using LPN.

This study was conducted to evaluate the chemical composition and physico-chemical meat quality properties for Jeju-horse (Jeju-horse×Thoroughbred) with different fattening periods (4-, 8- and 13.5- month). In chemical composition, the moisture contents were decreased as the fattening periods increased. The fat contents were 3.78% at 4-months and they were decreased such as 70∼76% at 13.5-months whereas the protein contents increased as the fattening period increased. The cooking loss was highest (33.41%) at 4-months group and decreased after that periods, however, there was no significant difference among 3 fattening period groups. The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS) values were lowest at 4-months group and tended to increase as the fattening period increased. In mineral contents, the contents of Fe, Na, Zn were significantly higher for 4-month group than 8- and 13.5-month group whereas the contents of Mg were significantly lower for 4-month group than 8- and 13.5-month group (p＜0.05). The results of the amino acid composition analysis showed that cystein, methionine, threonine, serine, glutamic acid, alanine, valine, lysine, histidine, arginine contents were significantly increased and tyrosine contents were significantly decreased as the fattening period increased (p<0.05). The contents of palmitic acid (C16:0) were highest at 4-month group and they decreased as the fattening period increased (p＜0.05). The contents of oleic acid (C18:ln9) were highest at 8-month group and they were lowest at 13.5-month group. The total contents of unsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher for 13.5-month group than those for 4-month groups (p＜0.05). In conclusions, the fat contents were decreased whereas the protein, Fe, Mg contents and WHC increased as the fattening periods increased. Overall contents of amino acids increased only except several amino acids. The total contents of unsaturated fatty acids were increased as the fattening period increased, however they were not significantly different when those were fattened more than 8-month. These results indicated that longer fattening period could be more effective to enhance horse meat quality.

This study was investigated the effects of marinating beef with thirteen different commercial vinegars on quality traits of Biceps femoris (BF) muscle of Hanwoo. Samples were divided into thirteen portions and injected with vinegar which was equivalent to 10% of the sample weight. The samples were all marinated for 15 hrs at 4℃ for experiments. The pH and cooking loss were tended to decrease (p<0.05) on all the vinegars and swollen rate was increased only on pomegranate vinegar. Shear force was decreased on all the thirteen commercial vinegars except persimmon vinegar. Most of commercial vinegars had influenced on water holding capacity, excluding omija-persimmon, pomegranate and grape vinegars. The yield was the greatest with the aloe-apple (p<0.05). Redness (a) was stable on aloe-apple and omija-persimmon vinegars. With an improvement of experimental design and process for future work, the results could be suggested to industrial utilization wherein low-quality meat could be improved by simple marination.

This study aimed to compare meat quality traits between Berkshire and crossbreed (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc), and to investigate the relationship between meat quality traits and fatty acid composition. 20 Berkshire and 20 crossbreed pigs were used to compare pork loin quality and to determine the relationship between measured variables. 23 variables were measured including proximate composition, pH, drip loss and cooking loss, Warner? Bratzler shear force, and fatty acid composition. Berkshire had higher moisture content, pH, water-holding capacity, saturated fatty acids, and redness than the crossbreed pig (p < 0.05). The fat content and polyunsaturated fatty acid were low (p < 0.05) in Berkshire. Correlation analysis showed a negatively correlation between moisture and fat content, and a positively correlation between saturated fatty acid and fat content. Moreover, saturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid were negatively correlated. As a result of factor analysis and partial least square regression, saturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid were estimated to be the main factors affecting quality characteristics of pork. Pig breed is associated with differences in meat quality, and fatty acid composition can have an effect on meat quality parameters.

Climate change, driven by the natural process of global warming, is a worldwide issue of significant concern because of its adverse effects on livestock output. The increasing trend of environmental temperature surging has drastically affected meat production and meat product quality, hence result in economic losses for the worldwide livestock business. Due to the increasing greenhouse gas emissions, the situation would get prolonged, and heat exposure- related stress is expected to worsen. Heat exposure causes metabolic and physiological disruptions in livestock. Ruminants and monogastric animals are very sensitive to heat stress due to their rate of metabolism, development, and higher production levels. Before slaughter, intense hot weather triggers muscle glycogen breakdown, producing pale, mushy, and exudative meat with less water-holding capacity. Animals exposed to prolonged high temperatures experience a decrease in their muscle glycogen reserves, producing dry, dark, and complex meat with elevated final pH and increased water-holding capacity. Furthermore, heat stress also causes oxidative stresses, especially secondary metabolites from lipid oxidation, severely affects the functionality of proteins, oxidation of proteins, decreasing shelf life, and food safety by promoting exfoliation and bacterial growth. Addressing the heat-related issues to retain the sustainability of the meat sector is an essential task that deserves an inclusive and comprehensive approach. Considering the intensity of the heat stress effects, this review has been designed primarily to examine the consequences of hot environment temperatures and related stresses on the quality and safety of meat and secondarily focus on cutting edge technology to reduce or alleviate the situational impact.

Pork quality is determined by several attributes, among which odor and taste are the utmost significant. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the effects of boar odor hormone concentration on the quality traits and sensory acceptability of pork. A total twenty-six (26) non-castrated 3-way crossbred (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc) pigs were selected with an average body weight (ABW) 115.6 kg before to slaughter. The three treatment groups (low, medium and high) were divided according to the androstenone concentration. In experiment 1, for meat quality traits carcass was selected based on androstenone concentration: low (LC, 0.64?0.69 μg/g, n = 9), medium (MC, 0.70?0.99 μg/g, n = 7) and high (HC, 1.00?1.69 μg/g, n = 10). In experiment 2, for sensory evaluation carcasses were also selected based on the abovementioned conditions. Results revealed that androstenone concentration not effect on proximate components, meat quality traits and fatty acids except palmitoleic acid. Sensory evaluation data showed that boar taint and meat boar taint were significantly increased in a concentration-dependent manner from low to high, whereas, gravy and meat flavor preference were significantly increased in LC group than HC group. In addition, correlation analysis showed that boar taint and meat boar taint were positively, and gravy and meat flavor preference were negatively correlated with boar taint hormones. In essence, our findings indicate that androstenone concentration had no effect on meat qualities, but a high concentration of androstenone had a negative effect on the sensory characteristics in uncastrated pigs.

This study was performed to investigate the effects of the low plane of nutrition on growth and meat quality of finishing pigs. A total of 136 crossbred barrows and gilts weighing approximately 55 kg were allotted to 8 pens, with 17 animals housed per pen, in a 2 (sex) × 2 (nutrition) factorial arrangement of treatments. The animals allotted to a medium plane of nutrition (MPN) received a finisher phase 1 (P1) diet containing 3.47 Mcal DE/kg and 0.92 % lysine and a P2 diet containing 3.40 Mcal DE/kg and 0.78 % lysine for 35 d and 36/43 d, respectively; the animals allotted to the low plane of nutrition (LPN) received only a P2 diet containing 3.00 Mcal DE/kg and 0.68 % lysine 7 d longer than MPN. The animals were slaughtered following the feeding trial, after which the loin, ham, Boston butt, and belly were taken from a total of 24 animals, with the average live weight being 120 kg, and their physicochemical and sensory quality traits were analyzed. Average daily gain did not differ between MPN and LPN during either P1 or P2. Average daily feed intake was greater (P < 0.05) in LPN vs. MPN during both phases whereas the opposite was true for the gain:feed ratio. Backfat thickness (BFT) was less in LPN vs. MPN (21.7 vs. 24.1 mm at 115 kg). The plane of nutrition influenced no effect on any of the physicochemical characteristics of fresh loin, ham, or Boston butt analyzed in the present study. Fresh hams from LPN exhibited superior aroma and odor scores than those from MPN; however, sensory quality traits were not influenced by the plane of nutrition in other fresh primal cuts or cooked meat. Instead, fresh primal cuts and cooked meat from gilts rendered superior physicochemical characteristics and sensory scores, respectively, than those from barrows. Results suggest that the low plane of nutrition may be useful to increase the slaughter weight of finishing pigs with a moderately high BFT by virtue of its BFT-lowering effect with or without exerting a slightly positive influence on pork quality.

The significance of pork meat quality extends far beyond mere consumer satisfaction, encompassing crucial aspects such as health and nutrition, economic impact, reputation and branding, food safety, and sustainability within the global food system. Influenced by a multitude of factors, each playing a pivotal role in shaping its sensory attributes and consumer appeal, pork meat quality stands as a cornerstone of the meat industry. Thus, understanding these factors are imperative for ensuring consistent high-quality pork production, aligning with consumer preferences, and elevating overall satisfaction levels. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the diverse factors affecting pork meat quality, including genetic characteristics, rearing systems, feed composition, gender differences, pre-slaughter handling, and meat aging processes.

Lairage, a part of the animal welfare practices, has been known to mitigate pre-slaughter stress in animals. However, research investigating the relationship between lairage and pork meat quality remains scarce. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the physicochemical quality and storage stability of pork from pigs subjected to immediate slaughter (CON) and those provided with a 24 h lairage before slaughter (LRG) over a 7-day storage period. The loins from 20 castrated pigs in each group, respectively, were collected at 1, 3, 5, and 7 days and used for analysis of meat quality and storage stability, including pH, meat color, moisture, water holding capacity, drip loss, cooking loss, shear force, fatty acid composition, lipid oxidation, antioxidant activity, and electrical resistance. Overall, there were no significant differences in physicochemical meat quality parameters between CON and LRG groups. Similarly, no differences were observed in the storage stability of pork including 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and electrical resistance. However, the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids was significantly higher in LRG compared to CON. In conclusion, 24 h lairage for castrated pigs had limited impact on meat quality and storage stability but led to an increase in the unsaturated fatty acid proportion.

Rinse & Chill® technology (RCT) entails rinsing the vasculature using a chilled isotonic solution (3℃; 98.5% water and a blend of dextrose, maltose, and sodium phosphates) to rinse out the residual blood from the carcass. Infusion of pre-chilled solutions into intact animal carcasses immediately upon exsanguination is advantageous in terms of lowering the internal muscle temperature and accelerating chilling. This technology is primarily used for purposes of effective blood removal, favorable pH decline, and efficient carcass chilling, all of which improve meat quality and safety. Although RCT solution contains some substrates, the pre-rigor muscle is still physiologically active at the time of early postmortem and vascular rinsing. Consequently, these substrates are fully metabolized by the muscle, leaving no detectable residues in meat. The technology has been commercially approved and in continuous use since 2000 in the United States and since 1997 in Australia. As of January 2022, 23 plants have implemented RCT among the 5 countries (Australia, US, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan) that have evaluated and approved RCT. All plants are operating under sound Sanitation Standard Operation Procedures (SSOP) and a sound Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) program. No food safety issues have been reported associated with the use of this technology. RCT has been adapted by the meat industry to improve product safety and meat quality while improving economic performance. Therefore, this review summarizes highlights of how RCT technically works on a variety of animal types (beef, bison, pork, and lamb).

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of increasing carcass weight (CW) on meat quality traits including meat color, water-holding capacity (WHC), tenderness, backfat thickness and intramuscular fat (IMF) content of pork loin. A total of 96 pork carcasses (48 LYD [Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc] barrows and gilts) were selected at a commercial slaughterhouse. Each gender had commercial CW (≤ 90 kg), heavy CW (91?100 kg) and very heavy CW (> 100 kg) (16 carcasses from each CW group). Loin cuts (Longissimus lumborum) were excised to investigate meat color (CIE L*a*b*), drip loss, cooking loss, released water, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and IMF content. Backfat thickness and IMF content of pork loin samples were significantly (p < 0.05) increased with increasing CW, although there was no significant difference in ultimate pH (pHu). CIE a* increased significantly (p < 0.05) with increasing CW, while there were no significant differences in CIE L* or CIE b* among CW groups. Although all WHC measures showed no significant differences among CW groups, WBSF increased significantly (p < 0.01) with increasing CW. Sensory flavor score was significantly increased while panel score for tenderness was decreased significantly (p < 0.001) with increasing CW. Consequently, CW had a positive correlation with flavor but negative correlation with tenderness. These results indicate that the increased IMF content improves flavor, juiciness and palatability, although tenderness deteriorates with increasing CW.