Table 4 shows the carcass ultimate pH, meat and fat color. The carcass
ultimate pH showed no difference (P = 0.29) with increasing
levels of glycerin in the diet.
The rate of decline in the carcass ultimate pH that influences the appearance
characteristics and food quality of the meat is closely related to
the characteristics and the types ofmuscle fibers that compose the fiber
muscle (Joo, Kim,Hwang, & Ryu, 2013). The decrease in carcass ultimate
pH can also be influenced by the energy reserves that sustain anaerobic
metabolism, which produces lactic acid that is capable of lowering the
pH.
Despite the lack of difference between treatments, the inclusion of
glycerin resulted in a linear decrease in the pH values (final values of
5.4 to 5.8 within 48 h post-mortem, P = 0.03) similar to that recommended
by Young, West, Hart, and van Otterdijk (2004). Thus, the increased
production of propionate (Rémond, Souday, & Jouany, 1993)