Consumer perception of boar meat as affected by labelling information, malodorous compounds and sensitivity to androstenone.

Lisa Meier-Dinkel, Johanna Trautmann, Luc Frieden, Ernst Tholen, Christoph Knorr, Ahmad Reza Sharifi, Mark Bücking, Michael Wicke, Daniel Mörlein

Index: Meat Science 93(2) , 248-56, (2013)

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Abstract

This study aimed to assess the influence of two label conditions on the acceptance of boar meat. A central location test was conducted with 145 consumers each assessing 4 pieces of pork loin. Samples varied with respect to two factors: actual meat type (boar vs. standard pork) and label information (young boar meat vs. pork). Androstenone and skatole levels in the tested boar meat ranged from 0.51 to 2.72 μg/g and 0.01 to 0.23 μg/g melted fat, respectively. Consumers' sensitivity to and appreciation of androstenone and skatole odour was determined through a smell experiment. The acceptance of taste, tenderness, juiciness, and overall liking was neither influenced by the label information nor by the meat type. Twenty-seven % of all participants were classified as insensitive to androstenone odour, whereas 52% perceived it as positive and 21% as negative. Consumers who disliked the androstenone odour indicated a higher disliking of boar meat.Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.