A comparison of hot and cold processing of pork for fresh, cured and smoked, and emulsified meat products

Cured hams and bellies, vacuum packaged fresh pork loins, and emulsion type sausages (bologna) were processed using cold (conventional) and hot processing. Fresh cut yields, cooking losses (hams, bellies, sausages), pH, water holding capacity, emulsion capacity, tenderness (loin chops), purge (loin roasts), distortion (bellies), color (fresh pork loin), juiciness and flavor (bologna) were compared to determine the effect of the two treatments on these physical and sensory properties.

There were no significant differences in fresh cut yields, cooking losses, water holding capacity, emulsion capacity, tenderness, purge, color, fresh and cured belly areas, or bologna juiciness and flavor. But, hot processed carcasses had lower belly and sausage cooking losses, shear values, and purge, and higher water holding capacity, and emulsion capacity than the cold processed carcasses.

Hot processed carcasses had significantly higher pH (P<0.05), wider fresh and cured bellies (P<0.01) than cold processed carcasses.

Fresh and cured cold processed bellies were longer (P<0.01) than the hot processed carcasses.