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Enhancing health-oriented Chashu pork: Effects of transglutaminase and omega-3 enriched pork belly with improved sliceability and fatty acid profile
Author(s)
Date Issued
May 1, 2026
Type
Article
Abstract
Results from the first experiment indicated that powdered transglutaminase (TG) at 1% w/w resulted in the highest slicing yield, hardness, and gumminess of the fat portion compared with the control and dissolved TG treatments (P<0.05). Sensory evaluation also showed significantly higher scores for binding, taste, texture, and overall acceptability than the other treatments (P<0.05). The second experiment further investigated Chashu pork produced from omega-3 enriched pork in comparison with pork obtained from animals fed a standard diet (control). Analysis of composition showed that omega-3 pork and its Chashu contained lower fat but higher protein and moisture contents as well as significantly greater omega-3 fatty acids compared with control pork (P<0.05). In addition, these samples demonstrated a higher polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids (PUFA/SFA) ratio (P<0.05), indicating improved lipid nutritional quality. Notably, Chashu from omega-3 pork had approximately 3.8-fold higher omega-3 fatty acids than control Chashu and achieved an omega-6/omega-3 ratio below 4.0, compared with about 19.3 in the control group. Sensory evaluation revealed no significant differences in all tested attributes between treatments (P>0.05). These findings demonstrated that the use of powdered TG improved the sliceability and sensory quality of Chashu pork, while omega-3 pork provided additional nutritional benefits by improving the PUFA/SFA ratio and enhancing omega-3 fatty acids. This approach not only helps to reduce product loss caused by separation during slicing, but also enhances the value of pork belly with adding health benefits.
Citation
International Journal of Agricultural Technology, 22(3), 1421-1436, 2026