Pork sensory test

We tested the taste and quality of six pork pieces. Five of them were frozen using different methods, and one was fresh pork, used as the standard for good pork quality. Our main pork cut was from the pork shoulder, and we included a store-bought frozen pack in the test. To thaw the frozen pork, we left it in a 4°C refrigerator overnight and then cooked it in the oven.

All experiments

Overview of pork samples and methods

Sample 1

Fresh pork shoulder (FRESH)

Sample 2

Pork shoulder frozen
conventionally via blast freezing (BLAST)

Sample 3

Pork shoulder frozen and thawed using Agrifreeze technology (AGRI THAW)

Sample 4

Pork shoulder tenderized with Agrifreeze technology before freezing (AGRI TENDER)

Sample 5

Pork shoulder tenderized using Agrifreeze technology before Agrifreeze freezing (AGRI)

Sample 6

Store-bought frozen pork

Measuring the moisture levels after cooking

Sample 1

Regarding drip loss, Fresh Pork showed a similar amount to Agrifreeze pork (Samples 3, 4, 5), indicating comparable moisture retention

Sample 2

Blast frozen pork exhibited higher drip loss, suggesting lower moisture retention during the cooking process

Sample 3

Agrithaw pork showed similar drip loss to fresh pork emphasizing its ability to retain moisture during cooking

Sample 4

Agritender pork showed similar drip loss to fresh pork emphasizing its ability to retain moisture during cooking

Sample 5

Agri pork showed similar drip loss to fresh pork emphasizing its ability to retain moisture during cooking

Sample 6

Store-bought frozen pork didn't release much liquid after cooking. Additionally, visible white/light brown patches indicated protein seepage, indicating poor quality

Sample comparison

Sample 1

Fresh pork

Sample 4

Agritender

Sample 6

Store-bought pork

Sample 2

Blast

Sample 5

Agri

Sample 2

Blast

Sensory test verdict & conclusions

Sample 1

When comparing freezing methods, the taste, texture, and moisture of fresh pork closely resembled that of sample 3

Sample 2

In the comparison between sample 2 and Agrifreeze pork (Sample 5), the latter exhibited higher moisture

Sample 3

The sample showed similarity to fresh pork in taste, texture, and moisture

Sample 4

The sample received the highest rating for being the most tender and moist

Sample 5

The sample showed similarity to fresh pork in taste, texture, and moisture

Sample 6

The sample didn't release much liquid after cooking because all moisture had been already left inside the package even before cooking