THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COLOR AND WATER‐HOLDING CAPACITY IN POSTRIGOR PORCINE LONGISSIMUS MUSCLE

A total 264 pork loins were selected to represent a wide range of pork quality of the longissimus thoracis et lumborum. CIE L*C*h color space showed a closer relationship to the subjective color score than L*a*b*color space. Lightness (L*) was the best measure to predict water‐holding capacity (WHC). There were highly significant (p < 0.001) correlations between the measures of color and WHC, and curvilinear relationships between either WHC and color or pHu were observed. In normal muscle color range (reddish‐pink), there was considerable variation in WHC. Within the RSE + RFN groups of muscles, less variation of WHC could be accounted for by variations in color measurements. Color and WHC were not closely related and suggest that the RSE (reddish‐pink, soft, exudative) condition should be classified as a separate quality category of pork muscle.