Boar taint is an offensive odour in meat from non-castrated male pigs caused by specific chemical compounds present in fat tissue.
When meat is cooked, most consumers can detect it by smell, thus it is necessary for pork producers to use strategies (e.g. castration) to manage boar taint. The foul odour is a deterrent in international trade and Ontario’s pork producers do not want to jeopardize their excellent reputation for product quality. Stopping piglet castration would improve animal welfare and enhance on-farm performance, but it would require tools to monitor boar taint in carcasses.
Additionally, ridgeling carcasses are currently wasted from producers, as they are discarded due to boar taint risk. During phase I, the DeRosa lab at Carleton University, in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement (CCSI), and Prof. James Squires developed aptamers (artificial receptors) for two compounds implicated in boar taint (androstenone and skatole) and a prototype lateral flow device (dipstick test)[1] for use on pork fat samples.
This research project includes the second phase of this technology: optimizing a test kit, and validating it against a control assay (ELISA), and with new samples provided by University of Guelph and Conestoga Meat Packers. Ontario’s swine industry would benefit greatly from a quick and reliable boar taint test. This project will have an immediate impact on the industry.
The research team will work closely with Conestoga Meats, to optimize and validate the dipstick with the goal of minimizing ridgeling waste from the onset.
