Sex-specific effect of ractopamine on quality attributes of pork frankfurters

- Effects of ractopamine and sex on quality of pork frankfurters were studied.
- Dietary ractopamine improved sensory texture of frankfurters.
- Influence of ractopamine on instrumental color and texture was sex-specific.

Our objective was to determine the effect of dietary ractopamine and immunocastration on the quality attributes of pork frankfurters. Gilts (GT), surgically castrated male pigs (SR) and immunologically castrated male pigs (IM) were fed diets containing 7.5 ppm ractopamine (RAC) or no ractopamine (CON) for 21 days prior to harvest. Deboned hams were manufactured into frankfurters, and physico-chemical parameters, instrumental color and texture, and sensory attributes were evaluated. Ractopamine increased (P < 0.05) L* (lightness) in SR, whereas it decreased (P < 0.05) lightness in IM and GT. While ractopamine increased (P < 0.05) a* (redness) in GT, a reverse (P < 0.05) trend was observed in SR. With respect to instrumental texture, ractopamine increased (P < 0.05) hardness, resistance, and springiness in IM, cohesiveness and springiness in GT, and shear force in SR. These results indicated that ractopamine exerted sex-specific effects on frankfurter quality. Swine industry may adopt sex-specific dietary strategies to optimize the quality of further processed meat products.