Abstract：Muscles from different parts of Rongchang pigs with different body weights were collected for analysis of the effects of pig body weight, body part, pork freshness, and muscle fiber direction on hardness of pork muscles. The results showed that horizontal muscles had the largest hardness followed by tangential muscles; and the hardness of vertical muscles was the smallest. Pork muscle hardness declined with increasing pig body weight (P＞0.05). Highly significant variations in the harness of muscles from different body parts were observed (P＜0.01). Pork muscle hardness initially ascended and then declined with increasing storage time (P＞0.05).
2012, Vol. 26 
