indices (relative to C9–C28 on the HP-5 MS capillary column).
2.2.2. Meat analysis
The carcasses were chilled for 24 h at 4 ◦C. Samples
of longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle which subcutaneous fat
removed were separated and conserved until meat quality
evaluation.
2.2.2.1. Chemical composition. Samples of meat were dried
by lyophilization, ground (1mmscreen) and stored for subsequent
analyses. Mineral content was then determined by
ashing at 600 ◦C for 8 h. Nitrogen was determined by Kjeldahl
method (CP =N×6.25), meat lipids were calculated as
DM minus the sum of protein and ash.
2.2.2.2. pH and cooking loss. The pH was measured on LD
muscle at slaughter and 24 h post-mortem with a penetrating
electrode connected to a portable pH-meter after
calibration with two buffers (7.00 and 4.01).
For cooking loss determination, meat samples of LD
muscle were weighed (Wi) and held in plastic bags and
then immersed in a water-bath at 75 ◦C and heated for
30 min until the internal temperature reached 75 ◦C, which
was monitored with a thermocouple. Then the bags were
cooled under running tap water for 30 min and blotted dry
with paper towels. The cooked meat was weighed again
(final weight, Wf) and cooking loss (g/kg) was calculated as
1000×(Wi−Wf)/Wi.