Table 5. Physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) of the pigs reared on varying planes of nutrition during the grow-finish period

Item	Grower plane of nutrition (PN)					Finisher PN				Sex
	H1)	M1)	L1)	SEM	p-value	H2)	L2)	SEM	p-value	B2)	G2)	SEM	p-value
Physicochemical characteristics
pH	5.67	5.67	5.65	0.03	0.78	5.64	5.69	0.03	0.16	5.68	5.65	0.03	0.35
CIE L*	56.1a	56.2a	52.9b	1.0	0.05	55.6	54.5	0.8	0.35	56.6a	53.5b	0.8	0.02
CIE a*	8.09	8.15	8.46	0.34	0.72	8.38	8.09	0.29	0.49	8.21	8.26	0.28	0.90
WHC	63.1	62.4	62.9	0.6	0.70	62.8	62.8	0.5	0.95	62.7	62.8	0.5	0.90
Drip loss (%)	7.27	7.68	9.72	0.89	0.14	8.59	7.85	0.73	0.48	7.86	8.59	0.73	0.49
Cooking loss (%)	37.7	36.9	38.3	0.6	0.27	37.5	37.8	0.5	0.62	37.8	37.4	0.5	0.55
W-B SF	5.29	5.91	5.22	0.52	0.59	5.68	5.27	0.42	0.50	5.54	5.41	0.42	0.82
Cohesiveness (%)	0.43	0.42	0.44	0.02	0.73	0.44	0.43	0.01	0.55	0.43	0.43	0.01	0.91
Springiness (mm)	1.06	1.02	1.04	0.02	0.40	1.06	1.01	0.02	0.09	1.05	1.04	0.02	0.63
Gumminess (kg)	0.55	0.55	0.63	0.04	0.27	0.58	0.56	0.03	0.68	0.60	0.55	0.03	0.33
Moisture (%)	74.5	73.9	74.0	0.2	0.11	74.1	74.2	0.2	0.62	74.2	74.1	0.2	0.86
Protein (%)	21.5	21.6	21.3	0.3	0.84	21.6	21.3	0.3	0.56	21.4	21.5	0.3	0.75
Fat (%)	1.88	2.44	1.96	0.16	0.05	1.88b	2.31a	0.13	0.03	0.34	1.95	0.13	0.14
Sensory attributes of fresh LM3)
Color	7.27	7.20	7.33	0.07	0.51	7.24	7.30	0.06	0.48	7.26	7.28	0.06	0.81
Aroma	7.32	7.49	7.40	0.06	0.16	7.42	7.39	0.05	0.64	7.41	7.40	0.05	0.92
Off-odor	7.46	7.38	7.44	0.06	0.63	7.37	7.49	0.05	0.10	7.35	7.42	0.05	0.92
Drip	7.24	7.24	6.91	0.13	0.15	7.02	7.24	0.11	0.17	7.29a	6.97b	0.11	0.05
Marbling	7.24	7.30	7.16	0.10	0.61	7.21	7.26	0.08	0.69	7.34	7.13	0.08	0.08
Acceptability	7.34	7.25	7.41	0.13	0.70	7.28	7.38	0.11	0.51	7.27	7.39	0.11	0.43
Sensory attributes of cooked LM3)
Color	7.13	7.04	7.31	0.10	0.18	7.09	7.23	0.08	0.26	7.17	7.15	0.08	0.88
Aroma	7.38	7.34	7.32	0.06	0.83	7.39	7.31	0.05	0.27	7.42a	7.27b	0.05	0.04
Flavor	7.18	7.03	7.10	0.07	0.32	7.07	7.14	0.06	0.41	7.13	7.08	0.06	0.62
Juiciness	7.05	7.04	6.91	0.07	0.35	7.04	6.97	0.06	0.41	7.04	6.97	0.06	0.41
Tenderness	7.15	7.05	6.90	0.11	0.30	6.96	7.10	0.09	0.28	6.98	7.08	0.09	0.44
Acceptability	7.11	7.05	7.02	0.07	0.66	7.06	7.06	0.06	0.94	7.05	7.08	0.06	0.69

Data are means for 12 and 18 animals, respectively.
Scored arbitrarily by 9 panelists according to a 9-ladder whole number scale such that a greater score indicates better quality.
Means with no common superscript within a row differ (p < 0.05).
H, high; M, medium; L, low; B, barrow; G, gilt; WHC, water holding capacity; W-B SF, Warner-Bratzler shear force.