Nutrient composition of Australian retail pork cuts 2005/2006

A study of the nutrient composition of Australian pork was undertaken to determine whether new breeding, feeding and processing methods had resulted in any changes in pork samples in the market place since surveys undertaken in previous decades. Samples of 13 popular pork cuts were purchased from randomly selected supermarkets and butchers’ stores in urban areas across the socioeconomic scale in three States of Australia, and analysed, raw and cooked, separable fat and separable lean, for nutrient composition (proximate components, minerals, vitamins) in late 2005 and early 2006. Results showed that present-day pork separable lean tissue continues to be low in fat, in line with stated objectives of practices implemented by the industry in Australia. Pork remains a good source of protein and of thiamin and other water-soluble vitamins, the latter being detected at nutritionally significant levels in fat tissue as well as lean; folate was detected in most samples, lean and fat portions. Iron content appeared to be slightly lower than in previous decades.