Historical perspectives and current aspects of pork meat quality in the USA

The condition of pale, soft and exudative (PSE) pork meat was recognized and documented by 1960, and the condition of porcine stress syndrome (PSS) was understood within the decade of the 1960s. The two are associated, with PSS animals having a high probability of producing PSE meat. Both are economically important with potential death losses, especially during transport, due to PSS, and PSE meat being viewed as of inferior quality by consumers and also having less value for further processing. An enormous amount of research has been directed at the problem and is presented in the manuscript as a time-line approaching a half-century of effort. Surveys of incidence showed, in pork produced in the USA, that 18% was PSE in 1963 and 16% was PSE in 1992. Fortunately, molecular/genetic understanding and tools are now available to attack the problem, but solving it may require further impetus — such as strong and unified resolution by producers, industry associations and governmental agencies.