PSE meat is still a common meat quality deficiency and influences the quality of cooked ham. In our study, pH together with PQM measured 30 min after slaughter, was a good tool to define PSE meat. On the other hand, pH measurements are more often used in industry to define PSE meat than PQM measurements, and the combination of both measurements has seldom been used. The proportion of PSE meat differed between the three examined muscles and could be explained by a different fiber composition. A tendency of more PSE meat in Summer than in Winter was found. Lairage times influenced the amount of PSE meat in Summer and Winter. A lairage time between 2 and 4 h for Summer (mainly for the LD) and less than 2 h for Winter (for all muscles) gave lower PSE meat prevalences.
In this study, it can be concluded that the ultimate pH measurements (after 24 h and 35 h) in the 3 examined muscles, and certainly the ultimate pH in the MG, are good measurements to predict color 24–35 h post-mortem and the meat quality of hams after cooking.