Effects of endpoint temperature on the internal color of pork patties of different myoglobin form, initial cooking state, and quality

The effects of several parameters on the development of internal cooked color in ground pork were evaluated. Patties were made from normal or pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) pork and the pigment converted to either oxymyoglobin or deoxymyoglobin. Patties from these 4 treatment combinations were cooked from the frozen or thawed states to 5 endpoint temperatures. PSE patties and those containing oxymyoglobin exhibited premature browning as they appeared cooked and were more (P<0.05) tan at lower temperatures than normal patties or those with deoxymyoglobin which had a slightly pink internal color at 71°C. Percentage myoglobin denaturation increased as cooking temperatures increased (P<0.05) for both types of meat and was greater in patties containing deoxymyoglobin than in those with oxymyoglobin. Patties cooked frozen had lower a* values (P<0.05) than thawed patties at every endpoint temperature.