Boar taint detection using electrochemical sensors
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Research partner: University of the West of England (UWE)
Sponsor: BPEX
Duration: January 09 – March 09
Boar taint is an unpleasant odour of a small proportion of pigmeat from entire males. Boar taint development is related to the stage of sexual maturity and can be reduced by castration. In the UK routine castration was stopped a number of years ago and to avoid or to reduce boar taint pigs have since been slaughtered at lower slaughter weight. However, in many countries around the world, including in much of Europe, surgical castration remains the main method for preventing boar taint. This has resulted in increasing concern for animal welfare and an ongoing debate in the European Union regarding potential alternatives to surgical castration; such as genetic selection, vaccination against boar taint, dietary manipulation, animal management, raising entire male pigs and other approaches. Irrespective of which method is selected innovative technology would be extremely useful to ensure that pork is boar taint free.
A three-month pilot study looking at the development of biosensors for boar taint was conducted during 2009. The University of the West of England has extensive expertise in the development of rapid, accurate and cost-effective analytical techniques for a number of applications, including the Agri-Food area. The project has now been successfully completed and it has provided a proof of concept for the development of a rapid on-line measurement system for boar taint detection. Further research is required to convert these promising initial results into a commercially available analytical system; such a system is feasible in the near future.
Page last updated 08 June 2010