책임운영기관 농촌진흥청 국립축산과학원 (로고)

Stunning methods in pig slaughter have evolved over time. Recently, carbon dioxide stunning, considering animal welfare, has been newly applied. In Korea, carbon dioxide stunning is increasingly replacing electrical stunning. Industrially, carbon dioxide stunning is known to darken the color and weaken the texture of pig viscera, leading to a decrease in marketability and resulting in product disposal. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the color and physicochemical attributes of the small intestine from pigs subjected to carbon dioxide stunning. The pigs raised on the same farm were divided into two groups: electrical stunning (ES) and carbon dioxide stunning (CS), with 10 pigs in each group. Slaughter and small intestine collection were performed on the same day at the slaughterhouse. The results of the study showed a significant difference in pH between ES and CS. In terms of color before cooking, ES showed significantly higher lightness, while CS exhibited higher redness (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in yellowness (p>0.05). After cooking, there was no difference in lightness, but significant differences were observed in redness and yellowness between the two groups. The thickness of the offal was thicker in ES (2.09→2.38 mm) than in CS (0.98→1.49 mm) before and after cooking (p<0.05). Consequently, the shear force was higher in ES (15.63→7.89 kgf) compared to CS (11.18→6.01 kgf). In conclution, applying carbon dioxide stunning in pig slaughter affects the color and physicochemical characteristics of the small intestine, but their quality differences diminish after cooking.