The effects of a step-up ractopamine feeding program on growth performance and low-sodium ham characteristics of purebred Berkshire pigs

Objectives were to test the effect of a lowsodium curing solution on processing characteristics of hams from purebred Berkshire pigs that were fed a step-up ractopamine HCl (RAC) feeding program or a negative control diet. Sixty pairs (n = 120) of hams were selected from two blocks of purebred Berkshire pigs (n = 200) that were fed either a control diet or 7.4 mg of ractopamine/ kg of diet for 14 d followed by 10.0 mg of ractopamine/ kg of diet for the last 14 d before slaughter. Three-piece, section-formed hams were cured with a standard (1.98% NaCl; REG) curing solution or a low-sodium with KCl replacement (0.67% NaCl and 1.29% KCl; LOW) curing solution. Pigs fed RAC had 3.18% greater BW, 11.90% greater ADG, and 10.34% greater G:F compared with control pigs. No differences (P ≥ 0.07) were detected for the effect of diet, curing solution, or the interaction between diet and curing solution for ham weights, pump uptake, or cook yield [(cooked weight/green weight) 100]. Break strength (an indication of protein interaction and bind strength; 5.97 vs. 6.99 kg) and protein fat-free values (24.58 vs. 25.98%) were less (P ≤ 0.05) in hams cured with LOW curing solution compared with hams cured with REG curing solution. Lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values were greater (P ≤ 0.03), while redness (a*) values were less (P < 0.01) in hams cured with LOW curing solution compared with hams cured with REG curing solution. A trained sensory panel detected less (P = 0.03) flavor intensity in hams cured with LOW curing solution compared with hams cured with REG curing solution. Yet, no differences (P ≥ 0.55) were detected between hams cured with LOW or REG curing solution for saltiness. Overall acceptability of hams cured with LOW curing solution tended to be less (P = 0.09) compared with hams cured with REG curing solution; however, the magnitude of this difference was 0.34 on a 1 to 9 scale. Hams cured with LOW curing solution made hams paler and contain less intense flavor compared with hams cured with REG curing solution, but this was a justifiable way to lower sodium content by 64% units (1.44 vs. 4.04% Na) without detrimental processing or sensory effects.