Effects of Doneness on the Microbial, Nutritional, and Quality Properties of Pork Steak of Different Thicknesses

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of doneness on the microbial, nutritional, and quality characteristics of 1.5 cm- and 2.0 cm-thick pork neck steaks. Pork neck meat was obtained within 24 h after slaughtering, cut into 1.5 cm- and 2.0 cm-thick slices (n=5), packed in LLD-PE wrap, and stored at $4{\pm}2^{\circ}C$ for 7-10 days until aerobic plate counts (APC) reach 5.51-6.50 Log CFU/g. Then, the pork meat was cooked on a frying pan till it was medium-rare, medium, or well-done. The microbial inhibition rates of the 1.5 cm- and 2.0 cm-thick steak in medium-rare state were 58.26% and 51.70%, respectively, whereas it was 100% for medium-done pork steak of either thickness. The total calories of the 1.5 cm- and 2.0 cm-thick well-done pork steaks were 643.61 kcal/100 g and 675.00 kcal/100 g, respectively, which was higher than that in medium-rare and medium-done steaks. The retention ratios for Fe and K in the well-done steak were significantly lower than those in the medium and medium-rare steak of either thickness (p<0.05). The shear force of the medium-rare and medium steak did not differ, whereas that of the well-done steak was significantly higher than that of the medium-rare steak of either thickness (p<0.05). We observed that the well-done pork steak had tough texture, low mineral content, and high calories. Therefore, consumption of medium and medium-rare pork is more beneficial than that of well-done pork.