The tenderness of pork loins from castrates, entire males and females was quantified with sensory analysis and measurement of instrumental texture during ageing. Furthermore, the effects of intramuscular fat (IMF), collagen content and solubility, hot carcass weights and meat percentages on tenderness were examined. Meat from castrates was significantly (p = 0.043) more tender than meat from entire males and females as assessed by trained sensory panellists. Tenderness scores were positively affected by IMF content (p = 0.008) and hot carcass weight (p < 0.001), but no effect of collagen content and solubility was found. Meat from all three genders had the same tenderisation rate during ageing (two, five, seven and ten days). It is therefore suggested that meat from entire males and females should be aged for longer than meat from castrates to obtain the same level of tenderness.

通过感官分析和测量老化过程中的工具质地，量化了cast割，整个雄性和雌性猪里脊肉的嫩度。此外，检查了肌内脂肪（IMF），胶原蛋白含量和溶解度、,体重量和肉类百分比对嫩度的影响。由训练有素的感官小组成员评估，cast割的肉比整个雄性和雌性的肉明显更嫩（p = 0.043）。IMF含量（p = 0.008）和hot体热重（p <0.001）对柔韧性得分有积极影响，但没有发现胶原蛋白含量和溶解度的影响。在老化过程中（两天，五天，七天和十天），所有三种性别的肉的嫩化率都相同。