National sampling and gross composition of Australian retail pork cuts 2005/2006

After consideration of five potential sampling designs, 13 retail pork cuts were purchased from randomly selected supermarkets and butchers’ stores in urban areas across the socioeconomic scale in three States of Australia in late 2005 and early 2006. They were analysed, raw and cooked, for gross composition (fat, lean, bone and gristle). Gross composition varied considerably within cut associated with large divergences in interpretation of standard pork cuts by butchers. There were no notable differences in gross composition across States, across the socioeconomic range of suburbs of purchase or between outlet types (butcher vs supermarket). Cuts tended to be larger and leaner than those in similar studies in the 80s and 90s. Due to increasing uniformity in breeding and feeding of pigs in Australia, sampling designs in future surveys could be simplified.